A Lover's Quest
by LastRonin
Summary: Following the war with Gaea, Percy is gifted an unwanted harem. Along the way, he learns much more is going on with not only why he was given it, but with the small details of the harem itself. Will he bend to the will of the gods and the Fates yet again, or will fate finally bend to his will? Follow along as he uncovers more, and builds quite a body count with it...
1. Disclaimer

Long A/N

Skip if you don't want to read, though you may miss some important info

Hello to the FF Community

As many before, I too have enjoyed the Path of Conquest by Henrie James Locker. However, because I am impatient (yes I admit it), I took it upon myself to write a similar story, just as many others have. However, he is rewriting it and I wish him the best in that regard. This being said, I was often frustrated by the fact that the other harem based stories would almost always get cut off and discontinued by the Chapter 10-13 mark. More often than not, this was due to commenter choices or to writing fatigue. As such, I do have full intentions of completing this story and have an outline developed with enough ideas to span roughly seventy chapters.

Some disclaimers should come beforehand though. First off, this will not simply be a sexcapade of Percy's love life. It will have a few subplots in here revolving around the harem itself and as to how Percy received it. Tying into this, the characters will be written to be as true to themselves as I can get. Of course, they will be acting out of character regardless (hence the fact that this is a harem), but this will actually be addressed later in the plot. Also, the story is a slow burn type of sex life. I personally find this to be much more satisfying, so this will not contain Percy having sex in every chapter. In fact, it would serve you best to know that most chapters will not include sex, though most will include some level of sexual or romantic content. For those who want to call this boring and just want to see Percy plow his way through nineteen different girls in three days, I have good news for you; you're on Fanfiction, there's plenty of stories like that already. I will not be changing this style of writing just to please the people who want to get themselves off. For those that want to enjoy the story as well as the smut, welcome aboard, you've come to the right place. That being said, while I am loosely using some ideas from Henrie, the plots, subplots, and OCs are by my own design. Not to say there won't be any overlap (such as tender scenes with Hazel), but I'm trying to make this as original as possible.

Final bit to this disclaimer, this series will have Percy reflecting my own sexual preferences. Unfair? Yes. But as the writer, there are just certain things that I'm uncomfortable writing. This being said, I am making a bit of a "ban list" of content that will or won't be included and everything in between. Without further ado, here's that list and some rational to my choices.

**Unlimited**: This means that there will be content of this nature, and that I am more than willing to take suggestions for this. If you do have suggestions, it would serve you better to elaborate your point rather than making a two to five word comment. Explain your point! Unlimited includes the following:

**Sex **(I think that's a given)

**Teasing**

**Realistic Portrayals**

**Threeway(+) Sex Scenes(MFF Only)**

**General Criticism** (If you're going to give me criticism, please give me more to work with than "This sucks" or "This is boring." I need some context, people)

**Semi-Limited**: This means that I may or may not have content ready to go for this, but will consider adding it or adding more of it if enough people support the idea of having it included. Same statement as above regarding suggestions. Anything that is not included elsewhere on this list can be assumed to be under this category. However, if it is not included, keep in mind that I am less likely to add it, even with comments or suggestions. Semi-Limited includes the following:

**F/F Scenes** (The story will only be from Percy's perspective, so there are not likely to be very many, if any, girl on girl scenes)

**Exhibitionism** (Early on, this is a no go. Percy and the girls still have to adjust. But later on, I plan on having a few scenes include this to varying degrees)

**Voyeurism** (This is a mix of the previous two, as Percy would be the voyeur in this case. I find this a bit unrealistic, as he's the one who would more likely be in the action than watching it)

**BDSM** (There will definitely be some later on in the story, but there won't be nearly as many as the more vanilla style scenes. Keep in mind that if I do include additional scenes based off of suggestions, Percy will not be the one on the submissive/restrained end of the scene. Only in one incident is Percy restrained, and that isn't exactly in a manner that people will call BDSM)

**Plot Ideas** (As said already, I do have a plot outlined and ready to go. If you have ideas for a plot point, go ahead and share them and I may consider adding it. Keep in mind that this is not a guarantee and that if you do suggest it, I will obviously assume that I don't have to ask your permission to utilize it. Seems redundant to say that, but I'm just being safe)

**Limited**: This is the content where I start to put my foot down. This section is reserved for things that will be included, but I will not be adding more than I initially intend, so don't bother asking for more of it. This may be a result of past experiences, clichés, or very unrealistic expectations. Limited includes the following:

**Demigoddesses/Mortals** (For the sake of my own sanity, I will only be including the demigoddesses that I already have planned. You'll get to see them all in the prologue. Honestly, Percy will have nineteen partners by the end of the story. That should be more than enough)

**Rape** (I do plan a grand total of one scene in which Percy is raped, but will not include any more)

**General Sexual Assault** (There is a difference between this one and the previous, but Percy will be an assailant in sexual assault (trust me, this will be addressed by the story and not even Percy gets out of this with all of his wits in tact). The same as before, this will only happen once)

**Non Combative Physical Violence** (Basically physical abuse. This will be the same as the scene mentioned before. Trust me, writing that scene was difficult enough as it is and I did my best to get the message across without being entirely explicit about it)

**Goddesses** (There will only be two. One will be Khione, which I have no issues disclosing, since she's brought up in the prologue. The second, I will not give away beforehand. All I will say is that I am deviating from the norm in this regard and she will not be joining the harem)

**Nymphs** (These are my OCs for the story. As such, they will not be changed in number/appearance/personality. Also, this is my way of saying that if you have any OC ideas, that's great, I will not be using them. I am including five. At one point, I had fourteen, but that was beyond overwhelming to write)

**Marriages** (This isn't necessarily limited in the conventional sense, but I am including it because I already know who I will be marrying Percy to. They will also be the most relevant to the plots at large, hence the reason why they will have more screen time. There will be four in total)

**Forbidden**: This section contains content that will _not _ever appear in this story, or any story that I write for that matter. As such, if you are looking for this content, you will have to look elsewhere. There will not be any convincing me to add them at any point. This list will also be my basis for any excluded sexual content in any stories that are written after this. Any of you readers that choose to stick with me up to that point can defer other readers to this list so I won't have to repeat myself. Thank you in advance. Forbidden includes the following:

**Incest **(Percy will _not_ get with his own mother. Also, no one will be engaging in "unsisterly activities." There's plenty of content for that already and this stuff honestly makes me cringe whenever I read it)

**Anal **(This will be a controversial one, so I'll be brief. It's simply not in my ball park. Same as before, there's plenty of it elsewhere)

**Urination/Defecation **(I doubt anyone will really call me out on this one, but I'm just covering my bases. Will not be included)

**Bestiality **(... Okay, I didn't even know that this was a thing in this fandom until my search for harem stories led me to "Artemis, her hunt, and more." If you want to see Blackjack get his rocks off with Bianca or a hellhound rape Annabeth, that's the story to go for. You won't find that here. I even address that it _will not_ happen in the story itself)

**Body Fetishes **(Note that I am not referring to already sexual body parts. I've heard from some people that they have hair/ear/foot fetishes. Yeah, those won't be included. Let me also disclose that this doesn't mean that the whole body won't be used, but you won't find things like footjobs or sticking someone's tongue in another person's ear. Things like stroking hair and foot massages are fine by me, as long as it doesn't get overtly sexual. Biting and kissing various parts of the body will also be included, but not for the pleasure of the person doing the action. It may come across as too vanilla, but I'm the one putting the work in. If you want that stuff, you can write it yourself or you can try to find it elsewhere)

**Shemale **(I honestly feel like puking whenever I read this, but none of the female characters will be gifted with a penis during sex. Likewise, Percy will not develop a vagaina or breasts. This content seriously disturbs me. Call it transphobia if you want, this kind of content is simply not in my ball park. Again, sorry, not sorry.)

**M/M and M/F/M Scenes **(For one thing, this is _Percy's_ harem, so Percy will be the only male that's sexually involved. Besides, you have a _lot_ of options for slash fiction anyways. I will be grouping strap ons in this section as well. There may be some minor dildo usage, but if I include strap ons, then Percy is basically left with no one to get with)

**DDLG and Master/Pet Relationships** (This is more of a personal choice because I've been in a relationship like this. I personally found it nightmarish, emotionally taxing, and exceedingly tiring. I'd rather not relive that experience, so there will not be any content of this nature included)

Now that the content list is out of the way, here are some AU changes:

Characters will all have there age boosted by 6 years so they are all adults. This will not change anything, but I'm just extremely uncomfortable with the idea of a 17 year old sleeping with a 12 and 14 year old.

Leo does not get brought back to life. I've personally seen this as a major plot hole, as the force of the explosion would have caused Leo and Festus to scatter into little bits all over the camp before Festus could administer the physician's cure. Sorry to all the Leo fans (I'm one of them btw), but he's not coming back.

Jason. Oh boy, here comes the hate. Given how ambiguous the backstory of Jason is, I decided to insert some content of my own. That content is that he was actually dating Gwen while in the 12th legion. Why did I include this? Because I love Piper, I don't really like Jason, and I really wanted to include her in this story. Besides, even Rick separated them, so I'm not going entirely against canon. Warning to Jason fans, his one appearance is in the prologue.

Bianca did not go for resurrection to avoid her brother bringing her back. Rather she used the Doors of Death to be reborn and rejoined the Hunt to avoid her brother's detection.

There may be some additional minor character backstory changes that I will insert if I feel it would better flesh them out and make them more interesting, though this will most likely only be done to the minor characters.

Lastly, I know for a fact that harems and concubines are not officially sexual in nature. Technically the term would be gynaeceum since it's Greek, but regardless, I'm just going for what the popular and easier to read terms are.

Okay, so in this timeline, this takes place the day after Gaea is defeated. The fallen are burned and the gods reward our heroes. That's where Percy gets this unwanted gift.

If you've read up to this far, then I thank you for getting the context out of the way. Keep in mind that I do have a life outside of this, so while I will do my best to update this and I do have full intentions of completing this story, I do have other things on my plate as well. Also, it takes me roughly three days to make a chapter. Two days to write it and one to revise/edit it. I do hope you enjoy this story, though, so have a pleasant read.

I think this goes without saying (since the man has said that he won't even do so much as read Fan Fiction), but I am not, have not been, and will not ever be Rick Riordan. As such, I only own the original content within this story, not his.


	2. Dividing Up the Spoils

Dividing Up the Spoils

Look, I'm not normally one to complain about milling in paradise or walking through Heaven. However, after all of my time strolling through its picture perfect streets, you'd think I'd be the one to die for once. Here I stood, on Olympus once more, weary and tired from another war.

After Leo went and kamikazed into Gaea, we at Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter held a funeral service for him and the other demigods who lost their lives in the battle. Even the gods came to pay their respects to the fulfiller of the prophecy of seven. Indeed, the world did fall to fire, just not in the sense that everyone feared. This was much worse.

The seven was a family unit. Leo was, without a doubt, the annoying uncle that you tried to stay away from, but always remained the life of the party. Much like his former half-brother, Charles Beckendorf, he was an anchor for all of us. But back to the point.

Following the service, the gods decreed that the time once again came to divide the spoils and reward the demigods; in particular, those of us who had a direct impact on the prophecy. So once again, for the first time in months, I stood in the marble hewn streets of Olympus.

Quite honestly, the new designs (courtesy of Annabeth) dwarfed the quality of the previous architecture. Sure, Olympus looked perfect beforehand, but somehow, her touches raised the perfection to unparalleled peaks. Speaking of whom, she strode along side me, hand in hand, looking rather pleased with herself as the other demigods gawked at her work.

Oh, how I missed that look. I couldn't resist the urge to kiss her cheek as we made our way up to the palace. Her cheeks flushed scarlet and she turned to me with a quizzical gaze.

"What was that for?"

"Call it a reward; for both improving Olympus and for being my girlfriend," I replied. "Also, I missed that beautiful look of pride on your face."

The blush returned to her cheeks as she squeezed my hand. Of course in that perfect moment, someone had to break the peace. Someone behind us cleared their throat and we both turned to see Athena.

"True as your words may be, do try and keep your company in mind, young man."

Her chastising did little to faze me. I offered her nothing but a crooked grin before wrapping my arm around Annabeth and continuing our little parade up to the throne room.

A backward glance revealed the mass of demigods and gods strolling up to the palace. Most looked grim and exhausted, not that I blamed them. The other members of the seven looked like they hadn't slept in days; which was true to some degree.

Frank and Hazel both looked down stricken. No doubt the memory of Leo and Sammy plagued them. Be it from their history or rivalries, Leo left his mark on both.

Reyna stood nearby, looking almost no different than normal, minus the dark circles under her eyes and the slumped shoulders. Despite being in the Greek Olympus, she took no real notice; as if she were too exhausted to care.

Piper strode next to her, an aimless gaze shone as her kaleidoscope eyes searched to and fro for something unseen. I realized with a start that Jason was nowhere in sight. Of course, the herd of demigods following us didn't make things easy.

Before I could raise any questions about it, we found ourselves before the oversized double doors of the throne room. Even I found myself taken aback by the craftsmanship and design. Annabeth was a master of her work.

The doors opened before us and the gods took their leave of our group and asserted themselves onto their thrones. Hades once again sat in his little guest chair and Hestia remained by the hearth in the middle of the room. The mass of demigods shuffled in, but even with over three hundred of us, the vast space dwarfed our little army to nothing more than a small task force.

Zeus took his opportunity to rant off how well the demigods had done and blah blah blah. I won't lie, I lost interest after maybe five minutes. _Did he plan this speech ahead of time?_

Only when his speech came to a close did I pay attention.

"Now, this marks the second time these demigods have aided us in our time of need in two years. Let us all hope that we no longer have to fear the rise of any other powers who seek to topple us so that we may enjoy this peace. And for the moment we have been waiting for and dreading all at once, it is time to reward our heroes before us."

Four hours later… Call me crazy, but I expected only a select few demigods to be rewarded. This time around, it looked like everyone received their share of the spoils, no matter how small. So many names and faces went by, it was like taking a panoramic photo while rolling down a hill; just an endless swirl.

The only thing that ever stood out were the few demigods not present. I couldn't bring myself to blame them. After such a grueling war, I could think of plenty of things I'd rather do. Sleep, for example.

However, the time came for the most influential demigods to receive our rewards.

Reyna was the first to go. The gods offered her the unification of the Amazons with the demigods. She stood, stunned by the offer. After a few seconds, she recollected herself.

"It would be wrong of me to force her hand in anything involving herself or the Amazons that follow her. As such, I respectfully decline. Rather, I would wish to step down as praetor of New Rome and offer my position to Dakota, should he accept it."

The Kool-Aid drunken senator stumbled forward, and dropped to the floor. Given his current condition, I wasn't sure if it was a show of respect or him passing out. He gazed up at Reyna wide-eyed.

"Um. I mean, sure I accept," he slurred. "But why pick me?"

Reyna shrugged, "You may be unorthodox and wasted on sugar every other day, but you are among one of the most humble of the centurions and I feel that we need more humility within our ranks." She gave a gentle smile. "Such is the case as you come from the Fifth Cohort. That and after these past few years, I could use a rest. Lead well Dakota. You can choose your replacement as centaurion when you recover from your current shock."

Zeus stood, "So be it. From this moment henceforth, Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano, you no longer stand as praetor of New Rome. The praetors now stand as Frank Zhang and Dakota… err… what was your last name again?" Zeus looked down at Dakota passed out on the floor, no doubt the result of a sugar crash. Zeus sighed. "Well you were right about unorthodox. Nevertheless, enjoy your rest Ms. Arellano."

Reyna gave Zeus a slight bow and returned to the group.

The gift giving continued as the group was granted their wishes. Frank no longer had his lifeline dependent on a piece of firewood. Hazel's curse for evil jewelry to appear before her was half lifted, preventing people who touched it from having horrible things happening to them, though her ability to control it was dampened. Piper was given Khione (she seemed too distracted to argue against it). Annabeth was offered classes by both her mother and Hephaestus on the art of building and crafting so that she could use new techniques for her architecture plans.

Nico decided that he wanted to shadow travel without fatigue so that he could travel between the camps without worry of passing out. The gods argued that this was something out of even their own abilities, as even Hades would tire from the effort. As such, they gave him an unlimited fund gift card that worked at any eatery. I wanted to joke about resurrecting the dead with more cheeseburgers, but I held my tongue.

Zeus's form flickered. Without any screaming or declarations of a splitting headache, he stood before us as Jupiter.

"Jason Grace! My son! Please come forward." It was then that I remembered my concern from earlier.

No one moved or came forward or even said "Give me a sec, I'm back here." Piper looked flustered as her thoughts of Jason missing were just about confirmed.

Jupiter sighed. "We have had enough absences today! And I will not allow one of the seven of the prophecy, especially my son, to go unrewarded!" He held his fingers to his temple. "Ah, there he is."

Everyone turned away as a flash of light appeared near the hearth. When the radiant glow dissipated, a collective gasp let out. Jason sat there, oblivious to the world as Gwen, Dakota's co-centaurian, bounced on his lap with nothing on their legs to separate them.

My heart dropped as Piper let out a choked sob. "Ja… Jason…? What… "

The sob of his girlfriend pulled him back to reality. He scanned the mass of demigods before him, then turned to the gods, all of whom were as startled by the situation.

"Dammit… I didn't see that coming," he mumbled.

Gwen climbed off of him and tried to reach for her pants, but those were back wherever those two were having fun.

Jupiter coughed. "Well… uh, I guess he really does take after me."

He chuckled to himself, but no one else dared to make a sound. The tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

Piper looked shattered. Her eyes fractured in color, split as her heart was by the scene before her. Annabeth moved to hold her, and even Piper in her fury knew better than to try and overpower Annabeth.

Jupiter broke the tension yet again. "I think we can agree that Jason has already claimed his prize. But I will give him a pass and some pants, along with his new lover here." He raised his hand and both of the two demigods were once again clad in their clothes. "I move to give him the same gift as mister di Angelo."

The other Olympians gave a reluctant nod as a gift card appeared in his back pocket.

"As for the young lady, I believe my son is enough of a reward," Jupiter joked.

The two demigods attempted to sulk back into the crowd, trying to hide themselves, but the crowd gave them no such opportunity. The mass of demigods split down the middle, making a path that led right out the front doors. Both of them shuffled toward the entrance. Jason attempted to reach for Piper, who lunged at him with her fists balled only to be restrained by Annabeth.

"Hey Jason," Annabeth warned, "I think it would be best if you took a hint and left."

Tears streamed down Piper's face, but not a word left her mouth. As if she were afraid that she would get blasted for what she felt like saying.

Jason dropped his head and trudged out of the throne room with Gwen. What a pity: one moment, the hero; the next, the villain.

As the moment passed, I focused to the best of my ability on the present situation. I came to the sudden realization that it was my turn. It took only a few moments for everyone to recover from the incident that passed as many of them came to the same realization.

Jupiter's form flickered and he returned to his Greek form.

"Percy Jackson! Please step forward," he bellowed.

After Jason's little scene, I decided to listen to what I was told. So I came forward and bowed before Zeus to then go and kneel before my father. A kind smile shined down at me, his eyes glowing with pride. "Rise, my son."

Again, I listened to them and did what I was told.

Poseidon stood from his throne and opened his arms. "Twice now has my son become a savior of Olympus. Twice now has he been subject of a great prophecy. Is there anyone who would deny that he is worthy of the greatest of gifts?"

No one dared to deny him. He turned to me. "Percy, I know you have already once rejected godhood. You stated your reasons why. Humble as they may be, even you can agree that your life; past, present, and future; are anything but normal."

I couldn't help but agree with him. My life and luck always had a way of twisting and turning. I steeled myself, preparing to reject godhood twice for the first time in history.

"Percy, you are equal with that of the gods. Many Olympians have yielded before your power long before you ever realized your full potential."

Ares' attention turned towards the leather of his jacket, paying no interest to the subtle jab.

Poseidon continued. "I know you do not want godhood, as it would leave your friends behind. Loyalty is indeed a fickle friend in that regard. As such, Zeus and I have talked and agreed to grant you a gift which has not been bestowed upon any mortal for millennia. We cannot make all of your friends gods with you, but we can offer eternal youth to you and those closest to you so long as a single condition is met."

This sparked my interest. The idea of becoming immortal had always held appeal, but I was not going to subject myself to outliving everyone that I knew and loved. The opportunity to bypass the drawback seemed too good to be true.

I looked to Annabeth, who still had her arms around a sullen and sniffling Piper. She gave me a look that said "At least hear them out."

I looked to my father. "What exactly is that condition? Do we have to become soldiers in the Olympian army or…?"

Zeus and Poseidon chuckled. The rest of the Olympians, minus Aphrodite, looked confused. I realized with a start that while my father may have talked with Zeus about my reward, he had yet to discuss this with any of the other Olympians. That worried me. Why would he need to keep my reward secret, and why was Aphrodite the only one besides those two who seemed unfazed?

"No, my son," Poseidon spoke. "You can be made immortal without becoming a god so long as you agree to host a new home as a harem."

If any time passed at all, I didn't realize it. I tried to clean out my ears to make sure I didn't imagine his words. "I'm sorry. Run that by me one more time."

"A harem. For you and your friends to become immortal, the female ones anyways. You can gain it through ancient law by owning them in a harem."

The casual manner that he spoke in was a slap in the face. _"Owning them" he said. Like slaves. Like property. Not people. I balled my fists. How could he think that I would agree to this!? He himself mentioned loyalty a few moments ago!_

"We know that it is a lot to process, and that our generosity has never extended to this degree. So in order to save you the brain power, we have already set this gift in motion."

My jaw dropped. "What?"

Zeus grinned. "You see? He is speechless! I knew this choice would play out well!"

Unnoticed, my shock remained, except by a select few. Images of Zeus's overinflated head on a stick simmered in my thoughts.

Zeus continued. "The details are simple. Every god must pledge one of their children or followers to your harem. If any god is incapable of doing so, another must pledge an additional one in their place. Your father already ordered the construction of your palace on the phantom island of Galínios, which was led by your brother, and has issued some nymphs as handmaidens for you." He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "While I am not exactly fond of doing this, you have shown above anyone else that you have earned it. I pledge my daughter Thalia Grace to your harem."

Artemis jumped from her chair. "WHAT?! You dare pledge one of my hunters to this?! Her oath cannot be broken!"

Zeus sighed. "Artemis please. The laws of the harem go back to the titans. Your vow of maidenhood holds little authority to these rites."

Artemis, despite her silvery eyes glowing with fury, slumped back into her throne in shock.

Zeus spoke once again. "Now let every god and goddess before us pledge one child or follower who is close to young Perseus to serve in his harem. They and he will be immortal."

The Olympians looked uneasy, each one daring the others to go first or speak out with nothing more than silent stares. To everyone's surprise, Demeter spoke first.

"I pledge my daughter, Katie Gardner, to your harem."

Katie stared back with her mouth open, but the look soon turned to indifference. She shrugged and sighed, accepting her place. I guess she wasn't going to challenge her mother.

I was about to, but I was cut off when Apollo went next.

"I know about your history with my oracle, so I suppose I can give her a freebie if it means protecting my children from this. I pledge my oracle, Rachel Elizabeth Dare."

Rachel was the one mortal to be here on Olympus, and she walked up to me without any surprise and acquainted my shoulder with her fist in a gentle manner. Her calm demeanor made me wonder if she had already foreseen this.

She gave me a once over before shrugging. "Guess things are going back to the way they were."

With that out of the way, Aphrodite went next.

"After the incident that occurred a few moments ago, I have no reason to think of anyone else. I pledge my daughter, Piper McLean, to the Jackson harem."

Piper took a few moments to register the words. When she did, her hands curled in front of her mouth to stifle any potential screaming. Her listless gaze turned to me, showing me the once vibrant and joyous eyes dulled from the recent events. She dropped Annabeth's arms from her shoulders and sulked over to me with puffy eyes. When she made it to me, she tackled me in a hug and buried her face in my chest. I rubbed her head and brushed over the harpy feather nestled in her braids.

She looked up to me bleary eyed and croaked. "Please… just… be gentle."

I was too in shock to realize that I was made an immortal rebound for Piper. Not that a part of me minded. Sure she was beautiful but..._wait- why am I thinking that?!_ I shook the thoughts out of my head and rubbed the top of Piper's, giving her a small smile.

Aphrodite chimed in. "Well isn't that sweet? I think I may see more than just a physical relationship developing between you two. Oh, and one more thing. Since Khione was Piper's reward and she is now yours, consider Khione to be yours as well. Just make sure that you have Piper's say so before you do anything with the poor snow goddess."

With Aphrodite's pledge taken care of, Dionysus stepped in. "I would only have sons to offer young Perry Johansson."

I sighed, of course he would choose to forget my name again. Some things never change.

He continued. "And unless he chooses to— what was the phrase? Come out of the closet? Whatever. My point being, I have no options of any daughters to give to Percy."

Lucky me, Aphrodite called out again. "Ooh. I know. Since I think someone could use an attitude adjustment, I pledge Drew Tanaka into Percy's harem in Dionysus's stead."

I recalled Drew snickering when she saw Jason with Gwen, so I guess this was like karma. But I gained nothing out of it. Drew was the definition of the Aphrodite daughter that no one wanted. Sure she was popular and gorgeous, but that was where it ended. Piper believed in the power that came with love and raw emotion whereas Drew cared only about the power of infatuation and using it to manipulate others.

I thought that I was supposed to be close to these people. I was consoled only by one fact, I could make her life hell if she continued to badger Piper. That gave me a few ideas of things I could let Piper do to her if she ever got out of hand.

Once more, I recognized my alien thoughts for what they were. Atrocities. But the more I tried to fight the idea of having a harem, the more I seemed to bend to the idea of having one.

It was like the gods weren't even gifting it but rather saying, "we need to keep Perseus locked up so that way he can't hurt any of us, but let's distract him with some 'friends' so he doesn't recognize it for the prison it is." That idea infuriated me enough to clear my head in time to hear the next god speak.

"I may not like this idea anymore than I approve of you being with my daughter, but now both seem to be out of my hands, young Perseus," Athena spoke. "I… I grant to you my daughter, Annabeth Chase… to… to hold a place in your harem."

I just about passed out on the spot. Soon it was Piper holding me up instead of the other way around. Annabeth, realizing this, walked right up to me and supported me even further.

"You aren't going out like that, Seaweed Brain."

She squeezed my hand. I turned to her and saw a look that said "We'll talk about this later." _How did I get this good at reading her expressions?_

Hephaestus went next. "Try as I might, my only children who ever grew close to Percy both went up in flames. And they were both male, so…"

He made a fair point. I never acquainted myself with too many of the Hephaestus kids other than Leo and Beckendorf. Most of the others were either always in the forge, so I never saw them, or they were involved in prank wars with the Stolls, so I tried to avoid them.

The shadows that pulsed through the room gave evidence of the next speaker.

"Nephew… do not make light of this decision. I do not wish to be known as a god who offers his children as gifts. You have become close with all of them."

A sigh of reluctance passed through Hades' mouth as he sunk into his chair. "But as I can give you a subject as well, consider this a gift of multiple levels."

He held up his hand as a dark cloud of shadow grew from near the hearth. The cloud melted away as most of the campers from Camp Half-Blood gasped. Standing there was the raven haired, blue eyed beauty who gave her life fighting a drakon, Silena Beauregard.

She gasped and held her heaving chest as she breathed for the first time in almost a year. Recognizing she wasn't alone, her eyes shifted up and looked at Hades, then to the mass of demigods, then to me, who was still being more or less carried by Annabeth and Piper.

All things considered, she was pretty calm. If I were to guess, her mind was fractured into pieces, but she remained calm nonetheless.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Hades sighed. "My dear, I have brought you here to give you an opportunity. A chance to escape the Fields of Asphodel. A chance to escape the Underworld and it's will." Silena's eyes went wide.

_She was put in Asphodel? But she died a hero!_ My mind raged at the gods as I saw how their promises were twisted. If that promise had been twisted and not every person who died in the war against Kronos was given Elysium, what else hadn't been kept?

Hades took Silena's silence as a cue to keep speaking. "If you agree to stay with Perseus and his… friends, we will grant you immortality."

She could only nod in agreement before dragging herself towards me and hugging me, much to Annabeth's dismay, and sat down at my feet, her head hanging downward as she pressed her fingers to her temples.

"Very well," Hades said. "I pledge Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite to serve in Percy Jackson's harem."

Hades forgot to mention that small detail to Silena moments prior. She shot her eyes back up and jumped from the floor when she heard those words. Her jaw hung low, her blue eyes teared up in fury.

A familiar guilt settled upon me as I looked at her. I pulled out of Piper and Annabeth's grips and hugged Silena from behind and whispered into her ear.

"I'm sorry… I didn't ask for or want any of this…"

She sniffled, leaned back against me, and slid back down to sit on the floor. She didn't look as upset as before, but rather she looked… indifferent. Like Rachel, she looked like she accepted the fact that she was mine for the taking.

"I am sorry, my dear," Hades mumbled. "It was the only way."

With him done, Ares was the next to go. "Unlike most, I don't think my children would handle being put into this too well. Prowess in combat is about all they've had in common at this point. Everything past that is nothing but a rocky relationship at best."

He glowered at me with begrudging respect. "Since I can't just go giving up one of mine, I don't think my sister will mind if I use one of hers. Sorry about this, but… Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano, since you're no longer a praetor, I'll go ahead and pledge you into the developing harem."

Reyna dropped to her knees. She was so close; so close to escaping the life that controlled her. She was so close to having her life go the way she wanted, just to have some war god pull rank to take control of her life all over again. Wasn't it bad enough that I had Annabeth and Rachel under the same roof? Now I had to throw in a third girl who openly had feelings towards me and had rather borderline hostile feelings towards the others?!

I wanted to hug her. I wanted to scream at Ares that it wasn't fair! I wanted to slap him around and pummel him into the sand like I did several years ago. But as I moved to do so, Annabeth moved in front of me and shook her head. I realized what she was doing. If I lost myself and went toe to toe with Ares, there was no telling what the gods would do to me. I was on his turf.

He seemed to take notice. "Heh, not too happy, huh, punk? Well get used to it." He leaned back in his throne looking rather pleased with himself.

Only when my head cleared of the rage did I realize that Hermes was speaking.

"I would offer a child or follower, but I believe that this council can agree that Percy Jackson has only ever come close to one of my own, and that was not for the better."

The gods, and even some of my fellow camp mates, nodded at that.

"As such, I cannot condemn an unknowing child or follower of mine-" he coughed, taking a moment to glance at Ares, "-to serve as a concubine for young Perseus."

Given the reasonable answer, I couldn't blame him. The best relationships I had with anyone who belonged to him would have been with Luke or the Stolls, and that says a lot.

Why couldn't every god and goddess just say something like he did? If you want to lock me away who knows where, just let me get occasional visits from my Wise Girl and I'll be happy.

Huh… Locked somewhere with occasional visits…

For the first time in what seems like hours, I spoke up. "Were Calypso and the other peaceful Titans released from their prisons?"

Nervous glances passed between the gods. My very simple request from the last round of rewards was neglected.

"Forget this whole harem thing then! My wish is to reinstate my previous wish. Free the peaceful titans!" I locked eyes with each and every one of them.

"Perseus…" I looked in the direction of the voice to find myself staring up at Athena. "While I concede that we did make a mistake in not letting them go, you cannot request the exact same reward twice. Also, try as you may, you cannot reject the gift of the harem. As my father said, this is law that predates even us." She regarded me with a hint of respect. "I say we make a compromise. We free those titans that are peaceful. As I have heard, Iapetus has also turned over a new leaf."

"Um," I spoke up. "He prefers to be called Bob. Also, he went down fighting Tartarus to help Annabeth and myself escape from him."

"Bob the Piercer? Tartarus?" She looked beyond bewildered. "Well in any regard, he should resurrect in due time and I will oversee that the Titans, the peaceful ones at least, are freed from their captivity. However, in order to make up for Hermes not having anyone to offer, why don't we give you the one Titan who changed your mind about them to begin with. I pledge to you Calypso, daughter of Atlas, to hold a spot in your harem. It seems fitting that I should do so. I requested her first love, Odysseus, be taken from her. Now it seems fair that I should return her to her last love."

_Oh dear._ The gods just forced every girl that ever confessed to having romantic feelings for me into a single home. So should I blow up another volcano, or should I let this play out?

Before I could point out that little fact, Hera decided to open her mouth. "While that is nice sentiment and all, let us not forget who fought against us."

It took all of my willpower to not take one of her cows and drop it onto her face. After all of the manipulating she did to myself and my friends, she should be the last person talking about who was against who.

Athena seemed to share my sentiment. "Perhaps we shouldn't forget. But unless we wish to continue this needless cycle of wars, we can at least forgive them. We are better than jailers, Hera. Or perhaps you would wish to have us remember who it was that manipulated the fates of every demigod before us."

Hera shrunk back into her throne. "I did what was necessary to save the modern world and Olympus. You cannot deny the results. In any case, let us return to the present matter. As I have no children of my own," she glanced at Zeus, who coughed uncomfortably, making thunder rumble outside, "I find myself in a situation in which not only have I no child to offer young Percy, but my domain would prevent any followers from joining him as well."

I sighed with relief. The last thing I needed in my life was more Hera. I could tell that Annabeth felt the same way. With the amount of "presents" that Hera's spirit animal left her, I couldn't say I blamed her.

Hestia stepped forward from the hearth. Considering her relative stillness and silence prior to this, it startled me to see her move.

"I must lament that I too fall into the same realm as Hera. As I have no children, nor any followers, I lack the means of providing Percy anything that he does not already have or want."

I was thankful that maybe the whole forced induction may have come to an end. But then someone had to ruin that.

"Very well," Hades spoke, a grave tone making his thoughts clearer than words ever could. "I was trying to avoid this, but now I see that I have no choice… Hazel, please step forward."

Hazel came forward just like asked, though she looked like a deer in headlights. Her face was a mix of mortification and pleading.

"Stop! Just look at her. She doesn't want this! Besides, she already has a boyfriend. Frank!"

Hazel went ashen and pale all at once, which was a look that I new all too well. "We," she piped, "we broke up. Just during the walk up here. We thought it would be best to let him be a praetor without having me to distract him from his duties. As, I'm not a praetor…," she shot a look at Reyna, who looked down sheepishly, "I would not always serve the best interest of the legion by remaining with Frank."

My jaw dropped and my heart stopped, and not in the "oh my gods, that girl is beautiful" kind of way, but more of the "way to go, you idiot, you played yourself" kind of way. _Good job brain for letting my mouth get ahead of you._ I looked to Frank, who looked ready to punch Hades and run from the room at the same time.

Hades rose from his chair. "So it is settled. I pledge my daughter, Hazel Levesque, to serve Percy Jackson in place of Hera's nonexistent children and followers."

There were plenty of giggles and Hera sized death glares, but the moment passed, forgotten by all except for the goddess.

As the said moment passed, every Olympian turned their head to the last of them who had yet to pledge a maiden in my service. The very same one who had fought this idea from the start. And if I had kept up with my counting correctly, she was about to sacrifice more than any of the others.

Artemis shrunk into her throne and almost looked like she tried to become invisible, but the spotlight was already on her. She was cornered. There was nothing she could do.

"None of my remaining hunters are close to Percy Jackson." Artemis reasoned. "While I may respect him for his feats and his many appealing aspects, most of my hunters do not share my sentiment. The only hunters who got close to Percy are dead, so my input cannot be made as they are in Hades' control."

"Don't you dare lie to this council," he spat. "If that were true, I would not have offered my daughter. I would have brought one of your prudes back to grace his bed! You know very well that my daughter, Bianca, escaped when the Doors of Death were opened and rejoined the Hunt! Also. You scattered dear Zoë's spirit among the stars before she could be claimed by Thanatos. You have control of both!"

Artemis looked even more panicked as every pair of eyes in the room was on her, except for mine. Rather mine were locked on my dear uncle, filled with fury for putting her on the spot like this. She took notice of my anger towards my uncle and sighed. That caught my attention. Never before had she given up, especially over something so crucial. Her shoulders sagged and her face was sullen.

"Bianca," she croaked, "could you and Thalia please step forward?"

That was when I realized that my favorite child of Zeus hadn't come forward when Zeus called her out to serve me. Not that I blamed her. From the crowd, two figures in silvery hooded cloaks came forward and lowered their hoods. From under one of them came the scowling daughter of Zeus, electricity sparking across her face as she glared at me.

She looked down and trudged over to me and whispered in my ear. "I'll punch you later. Feel free to punch back."

If she was settling for a punch, then I knew that she wasn't holding this against me. She just needed to vent. I gave her a slight nod and she took her place behind me.

From under the other hood, a familiar face with olive skin and black eyes emerged. Her silvery aura was faint, but it remained nonetheless. The last time I had given Bianca serious thought was years ago, when I got to see her as a child when Zeus killed her mother. That hadn't been too pleasant. Seeing her now reminded me of that, as she looked so much more like her mother since she no longer hid her face.

As would be fitting, she looked anxious. Considering what was at stake, I thought anxious was pretty reasonable. She glanced at me with a sort of longing and then went to present herself to Artemis. The moon goddess looked down at her hunter. She then sighed and waved her hand.

The room began to glow with a silvery light as wisps of power seemed to be pulled in from the roof and fell in front of Artemis' throne. I realized too late what was happening, as within moments, a figure stood before Artemis as a lump formed in my throat. It was the second hunter who died trying to fight by my side. The hesperide who rejected her sisters and her father to join the Hunt following an encounter with Heracles. The obsidian eyed lieutenant of the hunters, Zoë Nightshade, stood before the entire room. She looked as regal and dutiful as ever. With her eyes locked on the floor at Artemis' feet, she knelt before her matron goddess and spoke.

"I have heard thy call milady. I will carry out my duties as necessary," she glanced over to me, "despite how… unprecedented those duties may be."

Artemis shrunk down to a normal human size and jumped from her throne to the floor in front of her fallen hunters. She leapt at them both and gave them a small group hug as she teared up. "I… I am sorry my friends… that it had to come to this," Artemis sobbed. She pulled back and looked both of her hunters in the eyes before nodding begrudgingly and returned to her godly size and sat on her throne. With difficulty, she spoke. "I… pledge my hunters Zoë Nightshade and Bianca di Angelo to serve Percy Jackson in his harem, should they approve."

Zoë nodded, her face as impassive as ever. Bianca, not happy with being resurrected only to wind up as a concubine, took a bit longer, but nodded her head, albeit with sagged shoulders and a mournful expression.

Artemis glared at Zeus and Hades in defiance. "Father and uncle. While you may have both sacrificed your daughters to this cause, neither of you have sacrificed as much as I have. I have now lost three hunters. My group was already in a sour state following the massacre led by Orion." Her voice cracked as she said his name. "Let it be known that you have all but robbed me of my position, as I now have very few followers left." She then stood up and vanished in a flash of silver light.

Aphrodite took this as an opportunity and stood from her throne. "Well, now that she is gone, I feel no shame in granting all of you my blessing. No longer will you be plagued by the monthly pains of your cycle. Not to say you won't have it at all, in case you do wish to bear Percy's children somewhere down the line. But you needn't worry about having them anytime prior."

A furious blush painted my cheeks red at the idea, but I realized it was even crueler that she would mention such a topic. They could only have my children. They had no option in choosing anyone of their own free will. Would my children even be allowed to leave the harem? Would they remain children forever? What happens when they get old enough to understand their parents are just sex slaves and a master? This was too much to process.

"Also," Aphrodite continued, "you needn't worry about any unwanted hair in unwanted places nor would you need to worry about unwanted blemishes. My blessing removes all such maladies."

I kind of enjoyed that thought, but wanted to slap myself for even going that far the very next second. These were my friends (some more so than others) and they had no reason to be locked away with only one man for company and to serve for the rest of their immortal lives.

Zeus then came back into the picture. "Now there are some ground rules. First, Perseus can have one of his maidens as a headmistress. I do believe we know who that will be already." He glanced at Annabeth with approval. "Also, he can marry any of his members, but no more than three. Percy and those select four women may come and go from the harem as they please. The remaining members can only leave while accompanied by Perseus. None of them can harm Perseus unless he grants them the permission to do so. Such cases being during combat training or… more interesting manners of bed sharing."

I slapped my hand over my eyes at this.

Zeus continued."As I overheard my daughter's comment to you earlier and you agreed to it, she will have a temporary pass until the act is finished, so brace yourself for that Percy. Lastly, none of this gift is optional. Percy, this gift has already been laid into place, so you cannot deny it. I'm sure Hermes said something similar to you about that when you were still new to this world. I believe it was a thermos and vitamins at that time. Regardless, this also means that you must bed every one of the members of your harem. Should you fail to do so, this gift will turn inward and your friends that you fail to bed will begin to suffer indescribable pain until you relieve them."

I just dropped to my knees, which startled Silena, who was still sitting right in front of me. I just gaped at the king of the gods. "This isn't fair. In your attempt to reward me, you have condemned the lives of several others. I can't just accept that!"

Poseidon spoke up. "Son, I know that you may feel this way, but these laws are ancient. We would have been more lax, but this is the only way we can make this many people immortal without making them gods."

"Then you gave the wrong gift! If this is the cost of immortality, I don't want it."

"Unfortunate for you," Zeus said. "It cannot be returned."

"So what, you were forced to give me this?"

He scoffed. "Of course not. It was of our own free will. But the laws prohibit you from returning it."

"Why?!"

"Because during the reign of the Titans, a harem was deemed a necessary gift as it increased their numbers. To turn it away would be to deny your allies a generation of future heroes! Now silence yourself before you make a decision you'll regret!"

"Peace, brother! He is emotional, as are you." Poseidon turned to me. "Percy, look at it this way. You can now live a life free of responsibility. Free of pain, of war. Don't you want that?"

I shook my head. "Not for the cost of my friends. Not for—"

"Then I'm afraid there's nothing further to discuss," Zeus said. "It's too late to return it, so accept it."

I collapsed to my knees and hung my head. There was nothing I could do at this point. I may be able to go toe to toe with an individual god or titan, but I can't overpower all of the gods and fate bound ancient laws. _If only they gave me the choice before they set it in motion..._

Zeus coughed, not retaining his usual imposing posture. "Well, I do believe that has settled the matter. Young Perseus. You are to go to your new home with your friends immediately. Do enjoy yourself and let this meeting be adjourned." He spread his hands and I got blasted by a flash of light that left a metallic taste in my mouth.

* * *

**A/N - Well, that was a monster of a chapter. Phew, well the rest of the chapters won't be quite this long, so don't you worry. I just couldn't stand how most writers skip this part entirely. Like, come on guys, this is the set up. Either way, be sure to leave a review. This is Ronin signing off.**

**Edits made: General smoothing of the introduction and a few other sentences. Now, Zeus turns into Jupiter when addressing Jason (as he should), and I made further explanations to clarify a common misconception I've noticed in the past. To sum it up, the gods gave Percy the harem of their own choice. But once he had it, the ancient laws prevented him from rejecting it or returning it.**


	3. The Cave and the Couch

The Cave and the Couch

When the blinding light died away, soft sand shifted beneath my feet. Gentle waves lapped along the shoreline of a crescent shaped bay.

Behind me, every girl who attended the meeting rubbed their eyes or glanced around, disoriented. On the far end of the beach, my future home stood proud. With a sigh, I turned around and trudged up to the group.

"I'm sorry guys… er girls. I really didn't want any of this. I'm going to guess they have rooms for everyone, so go get settled in. Do what you want. I need some time to process everything."

As I turned to walk away, a fist flew into my chest and sent me sprawled out on the sand. A wave crashed over me as I laid dazed. When I gathered my bearings, Thalia eyed me with a grim expression.

"Don't you dare apologize for this, Kelp Head. None of us asked for this. This is how the gods work."

I nodded. "Thanks for understanding, Pinecone Face." My lips curled in a slight positive direction. "But after that punch, you'll need to watch your back." I stood up. "You enjoy yourselves. If my brother built this place, then I'm sure you'll have quite a bit to entertain yourselves with."

They all muttered among themselves and shuffled towards the massive structure. Only Annabeth remained. She locked her eyes with mine. "Don't blame yourself, Percy. We'll figure this out. I know you never asked for this. If this were any other situation, I don't think I would ever say this, but… go ahead and enjoy yourself. As long as you stay good to the others and you always save some time for me, I won't get upset. Just… make sure I get first dibs." She winked at me.

She laughed at my dumbfounded expression and closed my dropped jaw before giving me a peck on the lips. I stared as she followed the others.

_Why me?_

Before I let myself get lost too far in thought, I took in my surroundings. On the opposite end of the beach, the entrance of a cave opened up. I trudged towards it and tried to process the recent events.

* * *

I sulked along the beach as the waves of the lake splashed my legs. How could I tell it was a lake? Simple answer. Fresh water.

The thought brought me back to Ogygia. I realized the two islands paralleled one another. Despite its lavish appearance, it remained a prison. It lied in the middle of a lake. No end to the water presented itself on any side. Only women provided the company. The more the similarities added up, the more my thoughts strayed to Calypso. She offered for me to stay with her and escape my fate. Even though I declined her offer, I still found myself in the same situation, minus the harem detail.

I realized Calypso wasn't among the beach group nor was she on Olympus when the gods made her my concubine. She may still be on Ogygia, waiting in ignorance as Athena comes to free her, only to send her to another island. The poor titaness would never get to see the real world. If only I made sure the gods released her when I first told them to.

Before I managed to finish that thought, I sensed a familiar presence nearby. A quick beating of wings gave me all the warning I needed before a black pegasus landed right in front of me.

_Yo, boss. Nice place you got here._

I couldn't help but crack a smile and hug his neck. "What's up, Blackjack? Find any good looking mares since I last saw you?"

_Ha! Don't you know, man. Though I can't go bragging too much since you've got me beat by a landslide._

"Oh, come on! You already know about that?"

_Everyone knows about that! By the way, there's a bunch of other creatures wondering if they could stay on this island. Ya know, add to the scenery._

"Dude, that wasn't even close to subtle! But sure, go ahead and set up a spot here. Anywhere in particular you want?"

_Yo, man. You said it, not me. But yeah. Any spot out of earshot of your place would be great. Oh, and I didn't mean only me. A bunch of hippocampi want to set up a gig here too._

I groaned. "I don't know about that. I wouldn't know where to have them stay. I'll let you know if I find a good spot."

He buffeted his wings in approval. _Alright, boss. I'll relay that. While we're on the subject of fine mares though, I heard Silena's back! That true?_

I forgot how much the pegasi loved Silena. They couldn't ask for a better godsend. "Yeah, she's back. Can't leave the island for the time being though."

_Damn, that's great but it sucks at the same time. Think she'd be willing to go for a ride anytime soon? She knows how to work us._

I frowned. "Hold up a sec! Are you saying that Silena would go and-"

Blackjack whinnied in laughter. _No boss, no! Pegasi don't go interspecies and neither does she! We missed her is all. Aside from you, she's the only one who would pay any attention to us. You're still number one, though!_

I shivered at the implication. "Well, maybe she can go for a ride sometime. I'll talk to her about it later."

Blackjack did his best to bow. _Woo! You're the man, boss! We owe you. Oh, one other thing. Is the Horse Friend here too?_

"Who?"

_The Roman girl. Dark hair. Used to have a pegasus. Guido is her biggest fanboy right now! Capital "P" Pegasus gave her the title of Horse Friend. That's a big deal, man. So is she here?_

Reyna… Her having that title shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. That made her a much bigger deal in the world of pegasi than any child of Poseidon. Not sure if I should have been proud or jealous of her.

"Yeah. She's here too. Same situation as Silena."

Blackjack kicked off of the ground and did a little aerial dance. _Oh, yeah! My savior is here!_

I was sure there was some story to it, but that was for Reyna and Blackjack to know. He relanded after his somersaulting and whinnied in joy.

_She can go for a ride too! Anytime she wants. I'll take her around the world!_

I found his gusto both endearing and heartbreaking. How could I tell him Reyna couldn't outright leave?

_Well, I gotta go relay the good news! You keep em good, boss! I'd go through a glue factory for a mare like them!_

With that, he took off and vanished in the sunset. I returned to my walk down the beach.

* * *

Before I knew it, I stood at the entrance of the cave. Like Ogygia, white, green, and purple crystals illuminated the cave with a faint light. The exterior of the cave concealed the massive sprawl of the interior. Passages and chambers spread out all over. One of the chambers contained a massive watering hole more than big enough for a pod of hippocampi.

After noting a brighter passage, I strolled along to see the light source. It opened up to a chamber half the size of a gymnasium. Sunlight shone through the open roof. Sand and palm trees covered the area, with a little pond in the center. Next to the pond rested a boulder the size of a pickup truck.

My breath fell short. On top of the boulder, resting on her hip, eyes staring into the sky's reflection in the pond was Calypso.

She caught me staring and greeted me with a sad smile. "Hello, my hero," she called. "I'm glad you could make it."

I walked up to her and embraced her in my arms. Her chest pulsed with choppy breaths, like she was crying, or resisting the urge to cry.

"I'm so sorry Calypso. If I knew the gods hadn't freed you—"

She pressed her finger to my lips, tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to fight them back. After ten seconds of eye contact, she let loose. Her crying wasn't ugly and pained, but soft and light, like mourning doves.

"I told you the Fates were cruel," she wept. "Now they have moved me from one cage to another. And they do this just as I learn that Leo is no longer among the living."

"So," I mumbled. "The gods told you what happened."

She wiped her eyes and sniffled. "Yes. Athena came to Ogygia. She told me of the wars. She told me of Leo's sacrifice and of your wish for my freedom. That of which, I am eternally grateful for. She told me of the harem and explained your disdain for it, as well as the compromise she came to with you involving me."

I scoffed. "Compromise implies both sides agreed to it. I didn't want any of this. I was so close to freeing you. Then she had to go and pledge your allegiance to me. Most of the gods did the same for their children and followers… Now I have to share my bed with most of my closest friends."

She eyed me curiously. "Most would die to be in the position you are, Percy. But that's what I couldn't help but falling in love with. You would die to have the opposite." She smoothed her dress. "But just know, I've fantasized for a situation like this to happen. If you ever want to have some quality time, don't hesitate to come to me." She stood and pecked me on the lips. "But until then, I believe I should get acquainted with my new sisters."

She leapt off of the boulder. When she landed, not a grain of sand splashed. She turned to me one last time before leading herself out of the chamber the way I came in.

* * *

By the time I left the cave, the sun painted the sky and water a pearlescent shade of orange and purple. Despite my thinking time, no ideas presented themselves. Sure I could leave whenever I wanted; but unless I decided to neglect my friends, I was just as much a prisoner as them.

_Maybe Chiron has some answers. It's about time I paid him a visit._

I tried to stay depressed about the situation, but my hyperactive brain couldn't dwell on it for too long. The surrounding scenery pulled my attention in every direction. Seashells dusted the pale pink sands of the beach, the water flowed like a sea of blue diamonds, a lush tropical forest bathed the center of the island; everywhere I looked, the island got better and better.

Then I looked to my home. From the looks of it, Tyson and his fellow cyclopes did an exquisite job. Lights came from everywhere, including the plants. I realized with a start that he got his hands on moonlace, the very same flower Calypso and I planted together. My heart ached at the memory.

Despite all of the lights and glowing, the only details I could see were the size and abundance of floor to ceiling windows. Since I couldn't distract myself with the wonders the place held, I walked up some stairs to a set of double doors.

Once inside, my heart stopped. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the marbled abalone floor. A floating glass staircase dominated the open room. Intricate sculptures made of coral and pearls dotted two rows of pedestals along either side of the entrance. To either side of me rested comfortable lounging areas, complete with recliners, couches, coffee tables.

On one of those couches sat the heartbroken daughter of Aphrodite, Piper McLean. With her sagged shoulders and grey complexion, she looked ready for a trip to the underworld. The occasional sniffle left her nose, but she muttered herself to silence the moment after.

I walked up and stood by her side. She didn't notice me. I rested a light hand on her shoulder, taking extra care not to come off as aggressive. She leaned her head against my forearm and glanced up to me. Bleary and bloodshot, her eyes glanced in my direction. She tried for a brave smile.

"Hey, Percy. What's up?"

I rapped my fingers along her shoulder. "Still trying to wrap my head around all of this, but not much else. How about you? Pick out a room yet?"

She tried for a laugh. "Heh, yeah. We all did. Wasn't too hard with the dozens of rooms to pick from. And it's not like we have any luggage."

That's right! Zeus sent us here from Olympus with no preparations. None of us had our belongings. No clothes. No toiletries. No mementos. Nothing. I needed to fix that.

"In that case, I'll go to Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter tomorrow, assuming I can, to see what I can get for everyone. Was there anything of yours that you wanted in particular?"

She considered for a second. "Well, there's a turquoise necklace that my Grandpa Tom gave to me a couple years ago. It was my last gift from him before he passed. That and there are a bunch of photos that Leo… had… taken with all of us. They… they're in my cabin…"

Her eyes watered up. I held out my arms and she tackled me into the couch. I cradled her in my arms as she wept over the memory of her friend. I rubbed her head once again, whispering comforting words to her as she trembled and hyperventilated, tears streaming down her face and soaking my shirt.

I wanted to help her. I wanted to punch Jason in the face for cheating on her. I wanted to punch Leo in the face for dying. _Seriously, who gave him permission to die? It was me who was supposed to do the stupid and suicidal stuff because I always survived._

I rubbed Piper's back as she let it all out. It took a little while, but she calmed down. She pulled back and rested her hand on mine.

"Percy. I don't know how easily this will come to you, the whole harem thing, but… I want to volunteer as the first girl you claim."

I stared back at her in shock. "Piper… you don't have to do that. You're still not in the right state of mind. Let things settle in for a couple days. Give yourself time to think it over."

She glared daggers at me. "I _have_ thought it over! I knew for a while that Jason wasn't feeling it for me. After all, I was still clinging to fake memories of him. He had nothing to remember me with." She looked down at our hands. "We both stand on level ground because we both lost the people closest to us and because our feelings towards one another started on ground one. Wasn't your best friend made a god or something like that?"

I chuckled at that. "Grover. Yeah, he replaced Pan as Lord of the Wild. He was doing pretty well last I heard from him. Sure that was a while before… you know, Hera got involved, but…"

I sighed when I realized how much I missed hanging out with Grover. I realized that there were a lot of people that I missed being with. Even the Stoll brothers and their shenanigans were worthy of carrying emotional weight.

I stared into her glassy eyes. For the moment they were a dark blue, deep as the ocean and filled to the brim with emotion.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

She nodded with a determined look on her face. "I'm not going to let some ancient law dictate what I can and can't do, nor am I going to wait around for it to take effect. I am going to do it on my terms and because I _want_ to."

Her steely expression softened and her eyes turned a shade lighter as she leaned against me. Wrapping her arms around my arm, her head pressed to my chest. She let out a light snore. Her heavy breathing steadied and relaxed as she fell asleep on me.

All was quiet when Annabeth strolled in behind me. She scanned the area with a familiar critical eye, as if planning future renovations and improvements. When she saw me, she narrowed her eyes and marched up to me. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Piper passed out on top of me and the wet stains on my chest. After she pieced everything together, her expression softened. She walked over to me and kissed me.

"You and me tomorrow," she whispered.

I let out a grimace. "About that…" I told her about our lack of supplies and belongings, and about Piper's request to be claimed.

Annabeth drew a shaky breath after processing everything. "I can't say I blame her for wanting to get this over with. I just hope her mom isn't influencing her decisions. You heard what she said after she pledged Piper to this place."

I nodded, recalling what Aphrodite said about us. From the looks of things, she was probably right. Piper and I were very likely to get close. I sighed, realizing yet another person in this building harbored strong feelings for me, and I for them. _Could my love life get anymore complicated?... Aphrodite, don't you dare answer that…_

"Annabeth. I need your input. What do you think about all of this?" I stared at her, putting on my best puppy dog eyes.

She pouted. "I _really_ hate it when you do that… Well, we obviously need a supply run to both camps. That isn't optional. I can talk to the others and get a list of things they want as a top priority. Clothes are already gonna be on that list for obvious reasons. This might be a harem, but I don't think we're ready to start walking around naked quite yet."

I smiled dreamily, the potential image burned in my mind, and Annabeth slapped it right back out of my head.

"Hold your horses, Seaweed Brain. You have an eternity to spare for something like that." She chuckled shaking her head. "But in regards to Piper… go ahead and do it. You've got my permission to take her first."

I stared, awestruck at her words. "Huh!?"

She laughed before clamping her hands over her mouth. "Look. The way I see it, you've already 'claimed' me several times before this whole harem ordeal."

"I did?" I recalled no memory of such activities, but I wish I did.

"Yes, Percy. You did. But besides that, I think Piper needs this a lot more than I do. You are quite literally the only male that she's close to at this point. While I won't deny that I've wanted to jump you every five minutes, she needs this on an emotional level." She leaned in and whispered into my ear. "But this is your one freebie. After her, it is you and me. And I'm going to make up for lost time. You have about seven to eight months to make up for. Got it?"

I smiled. "Yes ma'am."

"Good."

She kissed me one last time before taking off. Either to go sleep or get the list of things we needed. Either way, the day started catching up with me. With Piper on my chest, I couldn't help but get a little drowsy. I kissed her head and rubbed her back. The lights dimmed, as did the glowing plants. Only the moon shone through the large windows.

The light reminded me of Artemis. I could imagine her throwing some rather unsavory gestures in my direction, not that I could blame her.

Content and calm for the first time in a while, I rested myself into the couch corner and sighed. My arm wrapped around Piper's shoulder and hugged her close, to which she nuzzled my chest.

_Maybe this whole harem thing won't be too bad._

On that note, I closed my eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Uncomfortable shifting pulled me from my sleep. Disoriented at first, a sharp gasp snapped me to full alertness. From the sunlight, I gauged the time to be no later than seven thirty.

"Um. Percy?"

Piper's head rested on my lap, which wouldn't be an issue if not for the blessing of morning wood. To make matters worse, my arm pinned her down to take in the unholy sight.

I turned my head with a cough, lifted up my arm, and hoisted her away from my crotch. "Um. Sorry about that. I didn't mean to pin you down and—"

"Sheesh, stop apologizing. Besides, I have to say I'm… pretty impressed."

With a start, I glanced at her as she eyed the bulge in my shorts. Her teeth dragged along her lower lip. Before I could comment, she faced me with an innocent gaze and held out her arms.

"Well good morning, Percy… erm. Master. Thank you for, you know, listening last night."

I accepted her hug. "You're welcome. Feel free to talk to me anytime. And don't you dare call me Master unless we're under the covers. It's just Percy. Or any other nickname you want to come up with. But nothing along the lines of Master."

She pulled away. "Yes, sir," she joked.

To see her smile so genuinely made my heart flutter. For the past few weeks, every smile of hers seemed forced. Even with her ratty bedhead, red splotchy face and dragon breath, she looked stunning.

"Well, Percy. Should we get some breakfast?"

I picked her harpy feather from my lap and set it into her hair, just above her ear. "Absolutely. But I have no clue where the kitchen is."

I may not be an expert in architecture, but I can appreciate a large house. Annabeth brought up the style at some point, but the phrase eluded me.

_Conception? Constitution?... Contemporary? Yeah, that's it!_

Before Piper and I found the kitchen, we passed by a patio and pool area, a garden, and a matted room surrounded by mirrored walls.

After some time, the smell of bacon pulled me towards the kitchen. Piper's face flashed with discomfort, but she followed me without question. We came across the dining room, where the early risers as they idly chatted. The scent of baked goods wafted into the room. I needed to find out who the cook was.

I hugged Piper and went to give Annabeth a morning kiss, despite my morning breath. I said good morning to the group and strolled into the kitchen.

Katie led the others, cooking something good on the stove. All around, a bunch of nymphs rushed to prepare the side dishes. I expected to see nymphs around here, but I only expected oceanids. A nebulae and two dryads consisted over half the group.

I walked up to Katie and gave her a quick hug from behind. "Hey, Katie. Good morning."

She jumped a bit, "Oh! Good morning. Get a good night's sleep?" She eyed me playfully.

Something told me she saw me with Piper. "Yep. One of the best I've had in awhile. How about you?"

She put her hand to her mouth and feigned shock. "What if Annabeth heard such a claim? But I slept very well, thank you." She winked at me and went back to her cooking.

I shuddered. The things Annabeth could do when she got jealous…

I looked over Katie's shoulder. "What's that you've got there? It smells incredible!"

"Just making some omelettes for everyone," she said. "The nymphs are setting up all of the side dishes."

I looked around and saw what she meant. The nymphs set up pastries, juices, and fruit smoothies. I licked my lips in anticipation. Sue me. I love good food.

"Where did you learn to cook like this?"

Katie laughed. "There's nothing difficult in making omelettes. But to answer your question, it comes naturally. My mom is the goddess of agriculture after all."

I couldn't argue with that logic or the results. "Anything I can do to help?"

She bellowed a laugh. "I have five nymphs already helping me. You can help me by going into the dining room and waiting patiently like everyone else."

I decided not to argue and walked out like a puppy with a tail between my legs. As I walked out, Calypso came through an open door with a basket full of fruit in her hands. She hummed to herself as she walked by, giving me a kind smile as she skipped into the kitchen.

I sat down next to Annabeth, at which point she changed seats and sat on my lap. She leaned her head against mine and listened to the morning conversations. For once, everyone seemed genuinely peaceful and at ease. The last of the girls trickled into the dining room and found their seats, though no one wanted to sit by Drew. After every settled in, the nymphs carried out the morning feast.

Katie outdid herself. The omelettes were loaded with various vegetables and herbs. Doughnuts, scones, and danishes coated the platters, with juices, coffees, and smoothies to wash it all down.

I wish I could say everybody ate delicately and enjoyed themselves. Only the second part was true. Everyone pigged out on the heavenly food. I thanked Katie, Calypso, and the nymphs for the meal. A slight moan escaped my lips as I bit into a strawberry, which raised a few eyebrows, but I didn't care. The strawberry reminded me of the fields back in Camp Half-Blood, which in turn reminded me of our task for the day.

"Hey, everyone," I interrupted the general chatter. "Annabeth and I are going to head to the camps today for a pickup trip. Anything you guys need or really want is viable. So if you could make a list—"

Annabeth slapped me upside the head. Leave it to her to ignore the whole "You can't hurt Percy" rule.

"I already took care of the list last night, genius."

Everyone at the table snickered as I looked sheepishly at my raspberry smoothie.

Annabeth stood. "So you all know where we're going to be. I have the list, but now is your chance to add any last minute items to it."

Drew jumped out of her chair and rushed over. Annabeth smirked and handed her a pen and long sheet of paper. Drew scribbled something down and made her way back to her chair, not noticing or not caring about the stares that followed her.

Annabeth took a breath. "Well, we better get going. We should be back before dinner. You guys enjoy yourselves and try not to kill each other while we're gone."

I wanted to laugh, but considering the present company, that seemed like a possibility. Annabeth hauled me out of the chair and I followed her. As we made our way to the beach, I could only think about how in Hades we planned on leaving.

* * *

**A/N - Well, isn't that a sweet first night. What will happen while at camp? How will the other campers take this? Will Chiron be able to help with this dilemma? Tune in to find out. As always, be sure to leave a review. This work doesn't come easy, you know. Oh well, this is Ronin signing off.**

**Edits made: Honestly, there wasn't really much of anything to add or take away from this chapter. Some minor stuff is all. That and refining the sentences. The bigger changes come later on.**


	4. Visiting the Camps

Visiting the Camps

For a few moments, all was peaceful. The waves lapped against the soft sand. The morning sunlight cast gentle sparkles off the turquoise water. As I took it all in, a force tackled me from behind and pinned me against the ground.

"What the?"

Before I could register any more, Annabeth locked her lips with mine and slipped her tongue into my mouth. A gentle moan passed between us. Which of us did it, I wasn't sure. All I knew was my girlfriend looked radiant with the morning light glowing against her golden skin.

She pulled away. "You better hurry up with Piper," she said. "Otherwise, I'm going to cancel our little agreement."

I grinned. "Getting antsy?"

"Shut up." A smile crept onto her lips. " I've been waiting months to get this close with you."

"Fair enough."

We stood and I looked to the horizon. "So how exactly are we supposed to get off of the island?"

She quirked an eyebrow shook her head. "I thought you would have figured that out by now. We hitch a ride."

With that she gave out a whistle like she was hailing a cab. A streak appeared in the distance. Within seconds, it grew bigger until the surface of the water exploded to reveal my old friend, Rainbow, the hippocampus.

"Hey, buddy. Long time, no see."

He whinnied in response, happy to see me again, and the feeling was mutual.

"Can you take us to Camp Half-Blood?"

He knickered, as if saying "Duh. That's why I'm here." He lowered himself and allowed us to climb onto his back and took off like the world's largest living jet ski.

* * *

Almost no time passed before the outline of Half-Blood Hill appeared in the distance. All along the campgrounds, demigods bustled to and fro in an effort to repair the recent battle's damage. Among the mix, both orange and purple shirts dotted the grounds. The sound of Chiron's beating hooves echoed across the valley.

We pulled up to the coast and were greeted with the centaur in question.

"Hello, dear Annabeth. And Percy—"his eyes welled up as her pulled me in for a hug "—Welcome back. Though I imagine this is only temporary."

"I'm afraid so, Chiron," Annabeth said wistfully. "We have to get the belongings of everyone back on… Galínios."

Chiron chuckled. "Do not fret dear. Whatever you need us to get, we can do so quickly. And I know that this was not how you intended to go. Things will definitely be different without everyone here."

Annabeth took her turn with the tears. She tackled Chiron in a hug with watery eyes. "I'm so sorry, Chiron. I wish it wasn't this way."

I sympathized with her. Since age seven, she looked to Chiron as a father; since age twelve, I looked to him as one as well.

"There has to be a way around this, right? Some way to get rid of this whole harem thing?"

He turned to me with a solemn expression "I'm afraid not. The laws written for it are so simple and so set in stone that they have never been outmaneuvered."

"Maybe. But even stone has to bend to the will of the sea." That sounded a lot better in my head, but I wished I could back up that statement.

He smiled. "Perhaps. But it is not this day. You said you were here to pick up some items. I could collect them for you. Then you could take an opportunity to say hello and goodbye to the campers. Percy, Grover is currently in the camp and he has been practically dying to see you. The same can be said for Mrs. O'Leary."

My heart dropped at the thought of seeing my favorite hellhound again. The same with seeing Grover.

Annabeth looked over the list, tore it in half, and handed a piece to the centaur. "We'll split it. Cover the work in half the time." Chiron seemed to like her thinking.

"Very well. Let us get underway." He galloped off towards the cabins.

Annabeth scanned over the list. "Well, looks like we're starting at the Aphrodite cabin. Let's get to it."

I groaned at the thought of going to that dollhouse but followed her nonetheless.

* * *

As I remembered, the Aphrodite cabin was a Barbie doll's wet dream. From the frilly curtains to the pastel nightmares they called bed coverings, everything screamed "We're fancy!" If only the children of Aphrodite realized how wrong they were.

"This place is literally strangling me with perfume," I complained.

"I know," Annabeth choked. "But the quicker we get everyone's things, the quicker we get out of here."

She didn't need to tell me twice. Within seconds I located Piper's bed and found all of the pictures she was talking about. With a little digging around in her dresser, I found her necklace as well. It was a simple suede necklace with silver sewn into the stitching with a turquoise stone dangling from the middle. Yep, definitely Piper's style.

We put the items into a leather pouch, gathered some of Piper's clothes and moved on to the next person: Drew. Her clothes wasn't a problem. Putting together her makeup kit and jewelry? Absolute nightmare material.. Nearly fifty pounds of accessories found themselves packed away in a duffel bag. Annabeth held up a frilly black piece of cloth with a wary expression and glanced towards me.

"This is what she rushed over this morning and wrote down. I'm guessing she already has plans for you."

I shuddered at the thought. "How about no? I'll just put her off until the curse takes effect."

She laughed. "I would totally agree with that, but she'll beg for it long before then."

I sighed in reluctant agreement.

When we finished with the Aphrodite cabin, we gathered the rest of the items on the list. Among the items included some pictures and gardening tools for Katie, Annabeth's laptop and almost half of the Athena cabin's library. From my cabin, we grabbed some sand dollars, my minotaur horn, my wristwatch that Tyson made me, and a scrapbook of photos I put together over the years. On top of all that was a massive collection of clothes. Lugging the massive load around could not be good for Rainbow's back.

We met back up with Chiron in the center of the cabin area. He stretched his shoulder while panting. "I had forgotten how much miss Dare loved her art supplies. Her cave was just full of it."

I laughed at the premise of a several thousand year old centaur struggling to carry some easels, but tried my best to hide it. With everything piled up in the middle of camp, I contacted Hermes via Iris message and asked him to have our hoard shipped to the island. Fifty drachmas later, he agreed.

With our newfound free time, Annabeth and I split ways to greet some old friends. As I moved towards the training arena, an unexpected arrival intercepted my path.

"Didn't think I'd see you so soon."

"Jason," I grumbled.

A violent tremble of my hand later, and Jason found himself knocked to the ground with fifty gallons of lake water. He coughed and spluttered, but made no effort to fight back. When he gathered his bearings, he stood.

"I guess I deserved that."

_Among other things…_

"Why'd you do it?" I snapped. "What possessed you to cheat on her?"

He looked to the ground. "Look, I know I messed up."

I crossed my arms, waiting for a real answer.

"My memories came back bit by bit. Among them, I remembered dating Gwen while in the Fifth Cohort. When I saw her again after so long, things… happened…"

I scoffed. "Doesn't make your case any better."

"I know… I know. I should have broken up with Piper beforehand." He made efforts to clean off his glasses. "Speaking of, you'll have to sleep with her at some point, right?"

_Ha! She already asked to be the first!_

"Yeah," I looked away. "At some point."

An awkward silence passed.

"Make sure she enjoys it… And—" he glanced towards the lake "— could you relay my apologies?"

I cocked an eyebrow. "No offense, but the last thing she needs is to be conflicted any further. You're the last person she wants to hear from now."

His head dropped. "Yeah. Figured as much. Well, I've got to go help out. I'm sure you've got other things to do as well. So… see you around."

"A word of warning." I grinned. "If you see Annabeth, run. She's not as forgiving as I am."

* * *

After the awkward reunion, I returned to my original path. In the arena, I found myself greeted with my gargantuan megadog, Mrs. O'Leary. She charged me down and barked loud enough for the camp to shake, which was only slightly less intimidating than a runaway freight train. For who knows how many times, I wished my powers extended to doggy saliva. For a solid ten minutes, she drowned me in a slobbery bath. After managing to get her off of me, I grabbed a nearby shield and threw it across the arena. She chased down the twenty pound frisbee and caught it within seconds.

"She sure has missed you," a familiar voice said behind my back.

I turned around to see my best friend for the past six plus years, Grover. I didn't even give him a chance to react. I just charged him down and crushed him in a bear hug.

"Yeah. It's great to see you too man. The ribs, dude! Don't break my horns!"

I pulled back. "It's been too long, G-Man! How've you been?"

"Aside from battling the Roman legion, then siding with them to battle Mama Earth? Pretty good actually. Just dull without the son of Poseidon to cause trouble. Soon, I'm gonna be headed to California to discuss all of the droughts and fires with the Council of Cloven Elders."

We caught up and joked around for a while but the afternoon sun kept me in check of the time. "Hey, how are things between you and Juniper? Still going strong?"

He snorted. "Of course. Though she's gotten feisty with the other nymphs now that I'm pretty well known as the Lord of the Wild. There are plenty who want to put that title to the test." I laughed at the idea of him getting chased by nature spirits, since normally satyrs do the chasing. "As a matter of fact, I was gonna go see her after we finished catching up."

I replied. "Well on that note, I have to get going too. I have to get to another camp to pick up some stuff from the opposite side of the country, and be back before dinner."

He laughed. "Always rushing, huh Perce? Alright well see you around, Twice Savior of Olympus."

"See you around, Lord of the Wild. I don't want to see any satyr babies running around yet, all right?"

"Glad you have so much faith in me." He trotted off to go see his girlfriend as I gave Mrs. O'Leary one last hug so I could go find mine.

* * *

It didn't take too long to find my Wise Girl. She seemed to be locked in an argument with Malcom, her recent replacement as counselor. By the look on his face, I would argue being made counselor of the Athena cabin wasn't doing him any favors. I decided to steer clear of the argument, lest I wanted to become a grease mark on the field.

"Having a hard time adjusting?"

I jumped at the voice and whirled around to see Hestia sitting calmly by the hearth. She appeared quite a bit older than most of the time, late twenties I would guess. Regardless of her age, her eyes always carried an eternally warm fire.

"Yeah," I said. "I wish this was just a bad dream I could wake up from."

Hestia pursed her lips. "I do not know what drove my brothers to press this upon you, Perseus. All I can tell you is that perhaps it was simply meant to be."

I looked down at my feet. "So I was meant to betray Annabeth?"

"Do not look at it like that," she said, "Think of this as creating your own home. That is where you have truly shined, Perseus. You have created homes wherever you go. Now you must learn to lead another."

I shook my head. "But I didn't have to sleep with anyone before. Now I don't even get a choice in the matter."

She sighed. "I know. Even in my opinion, this wasn't fair for you or your friends. If I had my way, this would not be the case. Unfortunately, not even Zeus will listen to his eldest sister."

"Any advice on how I should handle this? You know, sleeping with everyone?"

She smiled wryly. "You are asking the wrong goddess for that one. I can only tell you this to help. It's not what happens in the bedroom that will determine your success of leading this new family. It is how they view you that will decide whether you shall live happily."

With that, she vanished in a column of red flames.

Annabeth finished her argument with her brother and made her way back to the hearth.

"Everything alright with Malcolm?"

"Fine," she snapped. I gave her "the look" and she crumbled. "He was upset about this whole arrangement. Despite what you may think, keeping track of the Athena cabin is hard work. We're stubborn, and we never stop working even when we should."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah, well that stubbornness has saved our lives more than once, Wise Girl." I kissed her and rubbed her shoulder.

"_Percy_ don't." She pouted. "Resisting you is hard enough as it is."

I grinned. "Am I just too much demigod for you to handle?"

She punched my shoulder, her face doing a perfect impression of a tomato. "I'm going to pop that over inflated ego soon."

I laughed. "Come on. We have another camp to get to."

With that, we went back to Rainbow, who stubbornly refused to give one of the Ares kids a ride. Did I mention that Rainbow was my favorite hippocampus? When he saw us, he cantered over to Annabeth and I and lowered his head for us to climb on.

I gave his mane a pat and fed him some sugar cubes originally meant for Blackjack. With that, Rainbow departed, slapping sand into the face of the Ares camper and took off to Long Island Sound.

Rainbow whinnied a warning for us to hang on (which Annabeth and I did religiously) and submerged himself underwater. Only a few seconds passed and we re-emerged in a completely different body of water. I recognized it as the Little Tiber.

Camp Jupiter's fortifications were more or less still intact after Polybotes' invasion attempt. The camp though, was completely empty. I imagined the Romans would be hard at work once they finished undoing the damage inflicted by Octavian's invasion on the opposite end of the country.

We pulled up to the shore, where we were greeted by the ever watchful annoying armless statue, Tiberinus.

"Well, if it isn't the traitor and miss Rule Flouter. Do tell me why I shouldn't have you blasted on the spot."

"Well, for one because we're immortal now. Two, we and the Romans have come to peace with one another. Oh, and three, I'm here to collect some stuff for your last praetor."

With the way he turned his head, I imagined him crossing his missing arms. "Miss Arellano is a traitor as well. She holds no authority here."

Annabeth stepped in. "In that case, would you be kind enough to gather these items and bring them to us, since she can't come here to gather them for herself? The same with Hazel."

She showed him the list. Tiberinus scoffed. "Of course I can. You stay right here."

He then closed his eyes and started concentrating. Within seconds, a flash appeared at our feet. Once it dissipated, a small pile of bags lay at the base of the statue with two briefcases underneath them. Clothes, I would assume.

"Off you go now. And be careful with miss Levesque's items. They are bad luck." With that he flashed and was gone.

_Not anymore._

Unlike our first round, there was very little to pick up so Annabeth and I grabbed a bungee cord from her pouch (where did she keep these things?) and strapped them to Rainbow, who was none too pleased about becoming a cargo horse. We saddled up once again.

Right as we were about to take off, Annabeth wrapped her arms around my waist and rubbed my inner thigh. I nearly jumped off Rainbow, but she held me in place.

"Not fun when someone else does the teasing, is it?"

I groaned out her name, which resulted in a laugh from her. "You may want to make sure our luggage doesn't get wet."

I groaned. She was right, of course. I willed everything on board the USS Rainbow to stay dry, but had to concentrate to do so. Annabeth was not making that easy as she rubbed my leg and nipped my neck.

We submerged and re-emerged at our lovely little island prison and pulled up to the shore. The sun was still fairly high, all things considered. Then again, the instant travel methods and OCD statue weren't planned for, so I guess we made good time. We unstrapped Rainbow from his burden and gave him some more sugar to thank him. He gave us one last appreciative winnie as he took off, just a streak of water in the sunset.

With that, we hauled the luggage back inside. In the foyer, we found the massive pile of items from Camp Half-Blood. A tag on one of the bags read "Arrival Time: 2 minutes ago."

Most of the girls funneled out of the various hallways, all coming back from whatever activities they were up to. Only Piper, the Hunters, Calypso, and Katie didn't show up to get their stuff. It occurred to me that we never did get Calypso's stuff from Ogygia or the Hunters' gear from their camp. It would probably serve everyone's best interest if we fixed that, and soon. The rest came in frantically looking for their most valued possessions, thank us, and hurried off to their rooms. I grabbed Piper's leather pouch, and turned to Annabeth. She smirked and nodded. With that, I grabbed Piper's luggage and hauled it down the corridor.

* * *

**A/N - Talk about a busy trip. Oh, well. Now that he's back, what exactly will happen between Percy and Piper? Read on to find out. As always, leave a review. This is Ronin signing off.**

**Edits made: General fixes overall. This time, the Romans were helping the repairs on Camp Half-Blood. Thus, we were given another moment with Jason. Will we see him again in the future? Maybe, maybe not...**


	5. Rounding Second Base

Rounding Second Base

Before long, I came to a simple, but obvious, realization.

_Damn, I need a tour of this place._

Serpentine corridors of immaculate design twisted and turned like my old nemesis… the Labyrinth. I shuddered in recollection, which didn't help my shaking hands or straining arms.

_We didn't pack that much, did we?_

As I attempted to gather my bearings, a pale nymph rounded a corner to the intersection; a bottle cleaner in one hand, a brush in the other. I recognized her as the nebulae who helped Katie. With fleecy white hair traveling down her back and eyes near identical with Annabeth, I couldn't help but appreciate the beauty of nebulae. Save for her petite build and pointed ears, one could almost assume she was human.

"Hi. Um, would you happen to know where Piper's room is?" I asked, arms shaking from the bags' weight.

Lost in her own world moments before, the nymph jumped back upon hearing my words. Her cheeks flared as she smoothed her chiton.

"Hello, Master. She is just down the corridor to the right. Three doors from the intersection. Do you require any other services?"

_Other services?... Oh… Oh!_

"What's your name?"

Her luminous grey eyes went wide. "Oh, um… my name is Nimba." She backed away with a bowed head.

I set down the bags and put my hand on her shoulder. "Nimba. Don't call me Master; call me Percy. But I do have a favor to ask. Could you tell the other nymphs to gather and meet me in the front atrium tomorrow morning?"

She nodded at breakneck speeds. "Yes. Right away Ma… Per… Master…" She recoiled with puckered lips, as if acid were dropped on her tongue. "Do you need any help carrying the luggage? You look rather tired."

In almost any other circumstances, I would have accepted her offer in a heartbeat. My aching limbs tried arguing in favor of receiving help. However, I decided that Piper and I would be best if we were alone.

"No thank you, but I appreciate the offer." I pondered for a few seconds. "You know what? For the rest of the night, I want you nymphs to enjoy yourselves. Spend your time at the pool or something like that."

I kissed her forehead, which may have shorted a circuit in her brain. After gaping at me for a few seconds, she nodded her head and bolted back the way she came.

With weary eyes, I returned my attention to the luggage. Though I needed to stretch my shoulders beforehand, I managed to carry them once more and walk the few extra steps to Piper's room.

Upon arriving, I knocked on her door. A few grunts and curses later, Piper's face greeted mine.

"Percy!" She flung herself into me with arms wide open. I stumbled and tripped over her luggage, yet she refused to let me go. Rather, she held on tighter.

"You're back a lot earlier than expected."

I smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. Thanks to a magical fish-horse, a centaur, and an armless statue, we managed to finish a lot faster than anticipated."

With a small hum, she extracted herself from me and pulled me up. After picking up one of her bags, a slight smile appeared on her lips. "Well, I 've got no complaints. Could use some help putting away my clothes though."

Without hesitation, I nodded and picked up her remaining bags. She led me into her room without another word.

Her room was fairly simple to be honest. Spread out walls with floor to ceiling windows let in a great deal of afternoon light. A large four post bed dominated the center. Along the edges, numerous dressers and cabinets offered room for storage. The far corner contained a small lounging area, complete with bean bag chairs. By my standards, the room needed more personality; something Piper could take care of with her newfound free time.

Piper smirked at my gaping expression. "Like the room?"

I closed my mouth and turned to her. "Looks great, but I prefer the company."

Her jaw dropped. "Wow, you're getting pretty bold."

I shrugged. "What can I say, you're easy to talk to, plus you're easy on the eyes."

She blushed, but continued pulling her camp clothes out of her duffel bag. Reminded to do the same, I set my bags on her bed and opened them.

Annabeth and I were thorough with our collecting. From everyday clothing to formal wear to armor, nothing was overlooked.

After about ten minutes, I pulled up a lacy piece of purple fabric. A blush crawled to my cheeks once I recognized it as lingerie.

Once again, Piper caught me staring and glanced at what I was looking at, at which point she snapped her attention elsewhere. We continued our work in an awkward silence.

When we finished, I broke the peace. "How are you feeling?"

Her lips curved downward, eyes sagging. "Better than before… I'm still trying to adjust to everything. Talking to you last night really helped." She picked her head up and smiled at me. "Seriously, thank you for that."

From what I recalled, I said very little to her. Most of the time, I spent listening.

"You don't have to thank me for that. You're my friend. We all have our problems, so we all have to be there for each other."

Her lips curled in the positive direction. "Maybe. But I'll still find a way to thank you, whether you like it or not."

Smiling, I shook my head. On the note of thanks, another task brought itself to the forefront of my mind. Upon finishing with her clothes, I asked her to follow me. We made our way to the bean bag chairs.

I sat her down, reached for the leather bag around my waist, and handed it to her. She frowned, but took the bag and unzipped it. Fingers shaking, her lips trembled the moment the glossy photos appeared. They reflected in her watering eyes. She shuffled through the pictures with a tearful smile.

"I can't thank you enough for this," she said, her voice tremulous.

"That's not all," I said.

I took the leather pouch from her lap and pulled out the necklace. She stifled a gasp. I motioned to hang it on her neck, to which she held up her hair without hesitation. The suede cord hung around her neck, complimenting her eyes, which shone a pale blue.

Between her forefinger and thumb, she held the stone, eyeing it like a long lost pet. One final tear of joy trailed down her face before she locked her eyes with mine.

I couldn't tell you when it happened. For a few seconds, she held my gaze. A few breaths passed between us. At some point, she leapt from her chair and crashed her lips into mine, sending me back into another bean bag chair.

Passionate, desperate, wet… There's countless ways I could describe her kissing. She straddled my lap and pulled my hair to deepen the kiss. A moan flitted through my swelling lips in response. Biting my lips, she tugged me flush against her body as hot breaths exhaled from her nose. My idle hands took her flanks into them, caressing and squeezing her soft muscles.

After a delicious minutes of lip locking, she pulled away and yanked my shirt off. For a few seconds, she took in the view, half drooling. Too long was the wait before she moved again, but oh so worth it. Her fingers flitted down my chest, massaging scars long since healed. Eyes locked on mine, she pulled away and kneeled before my spread legs. I gulped.

With a lick of her lips, she rose, lathering her warm tongue along my torso: trailing the outline of my abs, nipping my chest, biting softly at my collarbone, only to drag her tongue along jugular, and kiss my jaw. No part of my body was off limits.

Straddling me, her lips parted as she neared. With her tongue already peeking from between her lips, I didn't bother wasting a second and met her with my own. Pressed together in a slippery bout of wet dancing, our tongues twisted and flicked the other, never quite ready to part from the embrace. Handfuls of skin were rubbed by both of us, be it her groping my back or me sliding my hands beneath her shirt to rub her lean belly. So smooth. So tender.

A soft whimper fled her throat, fingers curling into my hair. "You," she whispered, "you can go higher."

I pulled away with worry in my eyes. "What?"

She stripped off her shirt in a single fluid motion. My mouth watered as her buxom breasts strained against her black sports bra.

"Well, they're all yours."

Reaching forward, my hands neared the lovely curves of her chest, only to falter halfway.

"Are you sure?"

A soft hand took me by the wrist and pulled it to the top of her lean belly. Finger by finger, she let my hand slide beneath the spandex barrier between us. Supple skin met my fingertips as my hand slipped into her sports bra.

"Oh," she whimpered, her head turned away.

Gingerly as I could, I curled a few fingers of my remaining hand under her chin and turner her face to mine. "Do you want me to stop?"

Flushed in cheeks, like rusted bronze, she shook her head and pressed her forehead against mine. "No." She pulled away with affection glowing in her eyes. "J'ai envie de toi."

I recoiled, caught off guard by her words. My fingers pulled from beneath her sports bra, which resulted in a frustrated whine. "Was that… French?"

Her eyes widened in realization. A hand clamped over her mouth as she pulled away, the rust on her bronze cheeks spreading to the rest of her face. "I'm sorry," she mumbled through her fingers. "It just… happens."

"Hey." I pulled her hand away from her mouth, but she refused to meet my eyes. "Do you realize how sexy that was?"

The color in her eyes shifted from blue to green. Ears perked up, she returned my gaze with one of shock.

"Besides, I can do it too." I cleared my throat and put on my best smoulder. "Le growl."

She snorted, slapping her hand over her mouth. Unlike before, her eyes shone with mirth as she stifled her laughter. "For both of our sake's, don't ever do that again."

"On one condition." I brushed a finger over her cheek. "You do it more often."

A bashful smile tugged on her lips. After tucking her hair behind her ear, she eyed me while biting her lips. "Je peux le faire."

I shook my head. "I didn't understand a word you just said, but that still sounds lovely."

She smiled coyly. "How about this one?" Her tongue ran across her lips. "Embrasse moi."

My head rattled once more. "No clue."

She dipped her head, taking my chin into her hand. "Let me give you a hint."

Her lips pressed to mine, separated only when her tongue slipped from between them. Pulling and plucking at my lips with hers, she pried my mouth open to slither her tongue past my teeth. Massaging. Caressing. Her soft tongue danced beautifully across mine, eliciting a lusty moan from my lips.

Once more, her hand took hold of my wrist and pulled it towards her supple breasts. Unlike before, she didn't hesitate to slip my hand beneath the pliable fabric. Spongy flesh filled my palm with its warmth. A small nub brushed the calloused skin of my palm, drawing a delicious whimper from the wild beauty it belonged to. So soft a sound, but so clearly heard.

Every second of the way, she slipped and twisted her tongue with mine. Soft growls and lurid moans flitted from the lips of both. Teeth tugged at the delicate skin of my lips, prismatic eyes daring me to return the favor. So I did.

"Oui."

The soft word left her mouth despite her trapped lip caught between my nibbling teeth. Said lip grew red and swollen, letting me suck on it all the greater.

Eyes rolled up and hips grinding into me, she dragged her nimble fingers across my back. Her hands finished their trip, circling around to my chest before sliding down my abdomen.

My hips bucked against hers, excited as her hand approached. A sweltering heat developed between our mashing pelvises. Lost in our bliss, we let the moment carry us. Our moans became our music, and our locked lips, the composers.

My lips fell to her neck, suckling along her pulse point as her hands inched further down. Bronze skin turned purple as I pulled it further into my mouth, leaving a darkened splotch along her throat; and through every moment, she whimpered a moaned a beautiful symphony in my ears.

"Ne t'arrête pas!"

I pulled away, unsure of her words.

She whimpered, eyes in tears as she pushed her neck closer to me.

"Please don't stop!" she begged.

As if I could deny her, especially as her fingers slipped beneath the hem of my pants. Warm fingers enclosed around my engorged erection.

With a groan stuck in my throat, I latched my lips to the tender skin of her throat. Smaller hickies colored the path of my suckling mouth, drawing nearer to the space above her collarbone.

Her nimble fingers stroked along the length of my cock, hidden away from prying eyes. Warmth flooded my groin with every pump, driving me to coat her succulent flesh with dark hickies.

If only things lasted longer...

"Piper hun, where are the—"

In a single moment, everything went silent. Hands all over one another and panting, every detail gave no room for excuse as the intruder took in the sight before her.

"Wow, Piper. Taking Percy before his girlfriend can? I knew you were a slut, but I didn't think even you could be _that_ desperate."

Coated in a fresh layer of sweat and flaring skin, Piper grabbed her nearby boot and hurled it towards the smirking demigoddess.

"_Get out of here, Drew_!"

Murderous intent shone in her eyes. If not for my free arm wrapping around her, I carried no doubt of what she would do to her sister. Said sister ducked beneath the soaring boot and scampered off, leaving her unfinished question unanswered.

Piper trembled above me, her temperature rising. Eyes, boiling with rage, glanced to meet my own. She yanked me into an angry kiss, pulling away with a nip of my lips. I shivered from the sudden lack of warmth, but peeled myself from the chair as well.

Tears in her eyes and face in her hands, she sobbed. I hate to say it, but she looked beautiful even when in tears. Gentle as I could manage, I wrapped my arms around the weeping beauty from behind and hugged her close.

Sushes and soft coos joined her crying in my efforts to calm her. Every second of it, she nuzzled the side of her head into my shoulder.

I couldn't help but think back to what Aphrodite said a day prior. "I think I may see more than just a physical relationship developing between you two."

Truth be told, she was right. Maybe I was initially a rebound for Piper, but something told me we would have ended up in the same situation regardless of the harem.

As I moved to press a kiss to the top of her head, she turned her head and caught me with a kiss of her own. Her shoulders relaxed, her breathing steadied. She twisted in my arms and straddled my lap, pressing her head into the crook of my neck.

"After dinner, wait about thirty minutes, then come back here."

To show my approval, I pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

Outside, the afternoon sun shone brightly, cluing me in to the general time of day. Only then did I realize what Drew was asking. The nymphs should have been at the pool, which put every other duty on hold, including dinner.

Relaying the realization to Piper went as well as could be expected. She sighed and pulled herself off my lap. With how depressed she looked, I couldn't bring myself to leave without giving her another kiss. After I did, I turned to the door and made my way towards it.

"Percy!"

I turned back to Piper. "While I'm not complaining, I think you might need this." With a smirk on her face, she held up my shirt.

Taking into account that she only wore a sports bra, she wasn't in any state to judge. Still, I returned to her, grabbed my shirt, and hugged her once more. With an evil smirk on my face, I slipped a hand beneath the back of her bra and trailed it around to the front. She squeaked the moment I grabbed her breast, but didn't pull away.

When I finished my groping hug, I tugged on the shirt and made my way to the door. All the while, I couldn't help but think _This girl is not going to be my concubine. She is going to be my wife._

* * *

Unlike my previous attempts, I managed to find the kitchen after only two tries. When I arrived to the kitchen, my suspicions were confirmed. It remained devoid of any life, and more importantly, food. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I scrambled to put together something for everyone to eat.

"Having a tough time?"

Startled, I whipped around to find Katie smirking. Little did I realize, I knew almost nothing about cooking, shameful as that may be.

"Maybe. Think you could help me out?"

She laughed. "Depends on the kind of help you need." She wrapped her arms around me from behind and whispered. "I can help in several ways if you want."

I shuddered and pushed her off of me. "As much as I appreciate _that_ offer, we need to get some food made for everyone tonight."

She grumbled, but scanned the kitchen. "Where are the nymphs? Shouldn't they be here?"

My shoulders slumped. "I told them to go to the pool tonight. Didn't consider we hadn't eaten yet."

She snorted. "You are _really_ trying too hard with this whole 'be nice to everyone' thing."

My shoulders dropped further. "It's just that…" I sighed. "I don't know when they last actually had time for themselves. I know how Greeks can be with their slaves. To the gods, even my father, they're probably that and nothing more. So I wanted them to enjoy themselves."

She eyed curled her lower lip. "I'm impressed. This isn't some facade to get them in bed. It's all natural."

Unsure if I should be offended or proud, I stared back without any further comment.

"Well—" she clapped her hands "—if we're gonna make some food, best to get it done now. How good are you behind the stove?"

I hunched my shoulders. "I can make a pretty good grilled cheese…"

She clapped her palm over her face and sighed. "Okay then… Wait for just a moment." She turned to the walk-in fridge and shuffled inside of it for a few seconds. When she walked out, a wide variety of vegetables and herbs formed a small garden in her arms. "Get this chopped up into thin strips. Except for the tomatoes. Save those for the end."

"Um… I'm more of a meat guy."

She plopped the greens on the counter. "But Piper isn't. Plus, you could use some _real_ cooking experience."

Unable to form an argument, I carried out her order without question. If my inexperience wasn't blatant enough, she had to remind me to clean the vegetables before I started cutting.

Sometime in, she made an effort of distracting me. Not by nagging me or criticizing my chopping skills. Rather, she whispered words of her future plans with me once I get her in bed.

"And as you lodge yourself deep in my throat—" She rubbed the front of my pants while hugging me from behind. "—I'll massage these throbbing balls until you blast your hot, creamy load into my stomach."

My hands struggled to hold the knife. On more than one occasion, I almost took off my fingers. "Please, this isn't the time for this. Aren't you busy with your end?"

She glanced towards the sizzling beef and tofu strips on the burner. "They've got a little while to go. Though we can definitely work with a nice vinaigrette."

As if she never spent any time groping me, she returned to her tasks while I finished with mine.

When all was said and done, we laid out platters of immaculate tacos with plenty of options for toppings. The scent of food drew the girls in before we could ever announce dinner was ready. Each and every one of them sat down and helped themselves to the food.

"Once again, you managed to impress me," Katie said. "If you ever want to take me up on my offer, you'll most likely find me in the garden." She pressed a kiss to my cheek and joined the others.

Despite how good the food smelled, I was not going to eat without Annabeth. The girl in question strolled in moments later and claimed my lap for her own. Piper came in shortly after and sat down next to me, taking special care not to draw attention to herself. Whispers of our activities passed between the others when they saw the hickies on her neck.

Annabeth kissed me. "This is pretty good. Who was the cook this time?"

Katie piped up. "That would be Percy and myself. He had no clue about what he was doing at first, but once he was given a direction to work with, he was pretty reliable."

Annabeth laughed, "Sounds about right. Absolutely clueless would describe this Seaweed Brain perfectly."

I shrugged sheepishly and kissed her, leaving a smear of vinaigrette on her cheek. Enjoying the brief calm, I rested a palm on Piper's thigh. She hooked her foot around my leg, but said nothing. As before, the moment was squandered. This time, by someone calling my name.

I turned to the speaker. "Yes, Zoë? What's up?"

She cocked an eyebrow and glanced towards the ceiling before shaking her head. "When are we going to address the elephant in the room?"

Though I wanted to comment on her usage of figurative speech, the dread of the conversation at hand took any joy from it.

"I know, I know." I sighed. "When should this whole 'excruciating pain' thing start taking effect?"

"About two weeks," Annabeth said. "Give or take a day, according to what I read about it. It varies depending on the size of the harem. You can't expect one person to sleep with fifty women in a couple days. From the amount of people in this one, I count eighteen if we include the nymphs, he should have about two weeks before anyone who doesn't… grace his loins… starts feeling the effects of the curse."

I gave that some thought. "We'll gather everyone to talk about it the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow, I want to learn the grounds and formally meet the nymphs."

"Are you sure that's all you've got planned for them?"

I turned towards a smirking Thalia.

"Ha ha, no. I don't have any intention of forcing myself on them."

She shrugged. "Okay. Just so you know, they have the same curse we do. And as nymphs, when their pain starts, it'll be even more unbearable than it is for us."

I clapped my hand over my face and groaned. _Of course I'd have to sleep with them too..._

"Thanks for the warning. But we'll try and have something figured out in two days. If not, then we'll be open to suggestions. Because I want to make this clear. I didn't want any of this—"

"Oh, for the love of all that is good, please stop saying that!" Rachel interrupted while slamming her head on the table, rattling everyone's plates and probably giving herself a concussion at the same time. She picked her head up and glared at me with a tired expression. "Dude, none of us are blaming you for this. And we get it. You don't want this. Pretty much all of us were there when it happened. Take it from the Oracle, I knew this was going to happen, and you have _nothing_ to be ashamed of! Now stop moping about it and actually act on your position!"

Along with the rest of the girls at the table, I stared at Rachel, stunned by her words. I shook my head to refocus and took a look at the faces of everyone around the table.

"Is that how you all feel? Are you all really willing to just take this as it is?"

To my shock, almost everyone nodded their head. There were a few who remained impassive, and Hazel fanned her red face with her hand.

"Okay," I said. "Well if you guys are that open to this, I'll see if we can get this over with as quickly and in-awkwardly as possible. Also, I am _not_ going to push myself onto anyone. Even those who might deserve it."

Right on cue, everyone from Camp Half-Blood shot a look at Drew. She returned some of the glares, but mumbled to herself and put her head on the table without any further comment.

With that conversation out of the way, we all dug in to our five star tacos. When people started leaving, I waited for Piper to do the same. Once she did, I hauled Annabeth into the kitchen to help me clean up.

One of the benefits about being a son of Poseidon, washing dishes was second nature. I had everything spotless in a matter of minutes, courtesy of about seven or eight tendrils of water that helped me clean while Annabeth put all of the extra food away.

"Annabeth?" I called.

She poked her head out from behind the fridge door. "Mmm?"

"So I was with Piper earlier today and—"

She swiped her hand through the air, effectively cutting me off. "I don't need the details of what you do with the other girls, Percy. I'm just glad that I get to have you tonight." A mischievous grin crawled onto her face.

"We were interrupted by Drew. Piper wanted me to come over after dinner so we could finish where we started."

As expected, the grin vanished with a brief look of anguish, followed by one of deep thought. "How far did you get?"

I tilted my head. "Didn't you just tell me that you didn't want to hear-"

"I know what I said, but you've made me curious. So how far did you get?"

After relaying the events from Piper's room, Annabeth took a small stroll into the fridge for a cooldown session.

"Jeez, she blue balled the crap out of you two." She pressed her hand to her chin and hummed to herself."You know what, go and get her. Most of this stuff is clean, so I'll finish up and head to bed afterwards. Just know that tomorrow, after your little tour and meet n' greet with the nymphs—" she slinked over and whispered into my ear "—_you are mine_. Don't you dare make any plans after because we have a lot of time to make up for."

I stared at her, dumbstruck. _How did I get this woman in my life?_

"Well," she snapped. "Get going before I change my mind."

As if I needed to be told twice. I ran over, picked her up, spun her around in the air and kissed her hard as she giggled. "Love you, Wise Girl."

"I love you too, Seaweed Brain. Now go get your second wife."

* * *

**A/N - Well, that seems like a good stopping point for tonight. Review if you want your next chapter. I mean it, I'll hold it hostage. Muahahahaha! But in all seriousness, I hope you guys are enjoying it so far. Be sure to leave a review. This is Ronin signing off**

**Edits made: This was the chapter that really made me go "You know what, I want to make some changes." As you may have noticed, quite a bit more occurs between Percy and Piper during their steamy session together. Consider Piper's French to be a consistent adjustment made to any scenes including her while "with" Percy.**

**Also. Ignis says join the Discord-link in Bio. Future polls are taken there, so the more people who join, the more accurate results we can get.**


	6. Wave Riding

Wave Riding

Prior to starting my night with Piper, I took a good whiff of my underarms. No further explanation was needed before I found myself rushing to the shower. Ten minutes later, I gave myself the best speedy makeover I could manage, not that much changed. I never was one for touch ups.

Following my preparation, I raced down the hall towards Piper's room. My sense of direction (or lack thereof) spun me around a few times. Endless corridors resulted in me backtracking almost every other turn. In a wild haze, I turned to round a corner.

_WHAM_!

Before I could process what happened, I found myself on the ground with a throbbing nose. Groaning with my hand over my nose, I glanced up to see who was on the receiving end of the rushed impact.

Rubbing her palm over her eyebrow with a scowl on her face was none other than Reyna.

"Oh… Hey… Sorry about that." I gave her an awkward smile.

She grumbled. "If you're going to run around like a madman, give me a warning to steer clear."

I rubbed the soreness from my nose. "Sorry. Should have paid more attention." Offering her a hand, I stood. Her lips curved into a slight smile as she accepted, allowing me to pull her to her feet.

"What were you running for anyways?"

"Oh. Um, well… I was heading over to Piper's room."

_Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Why would you ever tell her that?!_

Her expression turned stony. Devoid of emotion, she turned her head away. "Well… I hope you two enjoy your night together. If you'll excuse me…" She shoved herself past me, nearly slamming me into the wall.

I whirled around and reached for her hand.

"Percy," she said,cold and calm, "it would serve us both better if you let my hand go. I'd hate to think of what experiences Piper would miss if you weren't able to use yours properly."

I tightened my grip.

"Just listen for a sec—"

"I'd rather listen at another time. You obviously have somewhere to be."

Correct as she was, I didn't want to let go. Still, my hand betrayed my wishes and released her from its grip. She continued down the hall and rounded the corner.

_Good job Percy, you've made Olympus proud…_

I returned to my previous task and resumed my trek to Piper's bedroom.

* * *

Once I reached the door, I palmed my hair back and took a deep breath before knocking. Like before, I was granted the sounds of a small scuffle as Piper rushed to open the door.

"You're late. Thought you were getting cold feet for a little bit there."

I decided not to bring up the cause for the hold up. Best not to kickstart another rivalry.

What really made my head spin was her calmness… and her wardrobe.

Clad in a tight fitting maroon bikini beneath an open button up shirt, she looked like a stereotypical beach girl. Further selling that image were the sandals on her feet, the towel over her shoulder, and the surfboards under her arms.

"Um, what's with all this?" I gestured to the boards.

She tilted her head. "Well, I figured tonight could could get pretty awkward if it doesn't play out right. So I thought we could break the ice with a night of surfing. Figured a son of Poseidon would enjoy that."

Slack jawed, my cheeks reddened. "Um. I wouldn't know. I've considered surfing, but never have."

She reeled her head back, eyes wide. "Oh, wow… Hmm. Well, I'm not the greatest at it either, but I could help you out. Give you some pointers. Even I had to start somewhere."

_The son of Poseidon being taught how to surf by a daughter of Aphrodite. What are the odds of that?_

"Sure, why not? Just let me go get my trunks."

She responded by tossing a board into me. "What you're wearing is fine. Besides, you can will yourself dry anyways. Now let's get going."

Through the halls and across the atrium, she hauled me along for the ride. I barely managed to keep hold of my surfboard, but she didn't seem to notice my struggle until we reached the doorway. When she did, she released her grip on my wrist and chuckled.

"Struggling much?"

I readjusted the board beneath my arm. "Just a bit. I would have followed without you dragging me; you know that, right?"

Her eyes gleamed playfully. "Yeah, but I wouldn't want you getting distracted along the way."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Distra…?"

She twirled around and flipped up the back of her shirt, revealing her bountiful bronze cheeks straining against the dark bikini bottoms. A devious grin stretched across her lips.

Forcing down a swallow, I reminded myself to breathe. "I never took you for the flirty type."

Hands on her hips, her lips curled into a pout. "I could charmspeak your pants off if you'd prefer that."

"No no," I said. "I'll take the flirting. Besides, it's a nice view."

"Oh? So if I were to just…" Her shirt slipped off her shoulders. If not for the board under her arm, it would have hit the ground. With most of her svelte figure bared to the world, she eyed me with an innocent gaze. Puppy eyed with a quivering lower lip, she melted my brain in little more than five seconds. "Like this better?"

My hands twitched. "We better get out there before I plow into one of these couches."

Despite her shocked face, she rubbed her thighs together. A smile flashed across her lips. "You'll have to catch me first."

Taking on her challenge, I darted after the laughing vixen. Along the way, she tossed her shirt back at me, distracting me for only a second as I swiped it out of the air.

"You can't escape me!" I shouted.

To further cement my point, I called upon the sea and sent a tendril of lake water to intercept her. Startled, she stumbled into the water and wound up cocooned up to her shoulders in its cool grip.

She pouted. "That's cheating."

I laughed as I approached. "If you want to play dirty, so will I."

An exaggerated sigh passed through her lips. "I guess I'm at your mercy then. Though this seems like a really cheap way to get me wet."

Startled by her brashness, I released her from my watery grip and sent the tendril into the lake. She picked up her board and curled her lip.

"Too far?"

"A bit," I said, rubbing my neck.

"Aw, well. So, you ready for some evening waves?"

True to her word, the sun was just about to hit the horizon. At least I could be sure Apollo wouldn't try to give me surfing tips. Though that did bring up a small question in my mind.

"Where exactly did you get the surfboards from? I know we didn't bring these from camp."

Piper chuckled at my apparent ignorance. "Coach Hedge's wife, Mellie. She used to work with my dad, so I called in a favor. The wind spirits brought these here within a few hours."

_So wind spirits are able to come and go as they please, but my friends can't leave? Man, the limits on this place have a serious double standard._

With that cleared up, I took off my shirt, much to Piper's approval, and laid it out on the massive towel Piper brought with us. Following that, we swam out into the lake to try and catch some sunset waves.

While I had no issues swimming out to the deep water (Piper struggled to keep up to say the least), actually trying to surf was a nightmare. Despite Piper's help, I was absolutely clueless in working my board correctly. Every crest that came in and collided with my board sent me tumbling into the water, and made me a laughing stock for Piper, though she did her best to conceal it. On one occasion, she declared that I was "tombstoned," whatever that means.

While on the water, I took note of how her personality shifted from earlier. The flirty seductress turned into a wild surfer girl. Laughing and whooping with every swell she caught, she found me staring countless times. Still, I swallowed my pride and attempted to keep pace with her.

After seemingly several grueling hours later, I finally managed to stand properly on the board and stayed balanced as a foot and a half wave gently pushed me towards the shore. Piper applauded my accomplishment, to which I jokingly bowed. Of course, the gesture resulted in me wiping out once more and fall face first into the water.

I resurfaced, too ashamed to will myself dry, and looked to Piper. "I meant to do that."

"Uh huh. Sure you did," she replied with a smirk.

I looked around and took a moment to realize that, despite my thoughts on a lot of time passing, the sunset was only halfway over.

"Why don't we head on back to the shore? Let's try this another time, when we can actually see clearly."

She snickered. "Tired of getting thrown off your board?"

I went red once more. She agreed with my request and let us wrap up our evening on the water. As we paddled back to the shore, I couldn't help but notice the lean muscles flexing on her body. Graceful wouldn't be the word I'd describe Piper with, but nothing else could better describe her in that moment. Upon reaching the shore, I summoned a small wave to wash away the sand caking our bodies.

Moonlight shone across the waves and shore, dancing across the droplets coating her body. Bathed in a semi divine aura, her radiant beauty resulted in me falling short of breath more than once.

I stopped staring before she could catch me and invited her to sit with me on the towel, to which she cheerfully accepted. She and I sat back and idly chatted, recounting the times we spent on the Argo II. Despite the fact that Leo was still a sore subject for her, she managed a smile as she recounted the memories.

Somewhere along the line, she nestled her bare back against my chest, my legs spread to either side of her. The subject veered to our times spent on and around beaches. She reminisced her brief times surfing with her father, and I shared my times in Montauk with my mom.

Stray thoughts of how my mom must feel interrupted the pleasant conversation. Taking note of my sudden silence, Piper grabbed my wrists and wrapped my arms around her. A dirty tactic, but effective. All thoughts turned to cradling her in my arms the moment my palms rubbed the smooth skin of her midriff.

She sighed contentedly, leaning the back of her head against my shoulder. The exposed area of her neck invited me to press a kiss or two against it, so I did.

"Oh," she moaned. A hand reached over and clasped my hair. Held in place, and spurred by her melodic moans, my kisses turned to nibbles on the delicate skin.

"Touchez moi."

Her free hand took hold of mine and slipped it beneath the fabric of her bikini top. The warm flesh of her ample breast molded beneath my fingers. A hardened nub brushed my palm, resulting in a beautiful gasp from the wild beauty in my arms.

"Plus!"

My remaining hand found itself pressed against her pelvis. For a few seconds, I massaged the firm area. She shuddered with every passing second, but pressed my hand lower.

I pulled back the second my fingertips slipped beneath the thin fabric. "Are you sure?"

She craned her neck and turned to me with parted lips. Panting and moaning, she pressed her lips against mine. Wide eyed, I allowed her tongue to slip into my mouth as my fingers did the same beneath her high cut bottoms. All the while, I continued massaging her supple bosom.

A small whimper fled her lips as my fingers massaged the moistening lips between her legs. I circled my fingers around her warm nethers, occasionally drawing a finger through the slit from the bottom to the top. At the end of each cycle, I took her little clit between the pads of my fingers and gave it a slight twist.

Writhing in pleasurable agony, she caressed my tongue with her own as I explored the most sacred places of her body. Eyes closed, chest heaving, legs pulled up; all of it in response to my touch.

When she could take no more, she readjusted herself and straddled my lap while pushing me ever so slightly closer to the ground. I moved in tandem with her, laying my back against the soft towel. All the while, she refused to let her lips leave mine.

Subtle touches and gropes passed between us both. My hands trailed down her smooth back and grasped hold of her supple ass. The soft cheeks jiggled, but only slightly.

She rubbed her hands over my chest, down my abdomen, and massaged ever so slightly around my waist. I bucked, but she refused to give me the relief I desperately wanted.

After some time, she reached for my hair and pulled at it, earning a throaty groan from me. She took advantage and bit my lower lip, gently sucking on it.

My response was instantaneous. My hands left her backside, wrapped entirely around her waist, and pulled her almost uncomfortably close to me. My fingers pressed roughly into her soft skin; an action which resulted in a sharp gasp from the Cherokee.

Seeing as I had the upper hand, I used her brief moment of surprise to roll us over, pressing her against the wrinkled surface of the towel. Her hair sprawled wildly around her head. Her body gleamed in sweat, making her glow even brighter in the moonlight.

"Beautiful," I whispered.

She smiled bashfully and pulled me back for another kiss. She pulled away slightly after and arched her back before moving her hands beneath herself, fiddling a bit. Her bikini top went slack.

Her hands returned to my shoulders. Kaleidoscopic eyes sparkled with lust. I took the small piece of clothing into my hand and pulled it away from her chest, revealing the luscious breasts my hands grew to adore.

Piper's breath hitched as I took hold of one of her soft mammaries, jiggling it slightly in my hand.

"You okay?" I asked.

Her breathing only slightly steadied. "Yeah. Just… a lot more exposed than I'm used to."

I tilted my head. "Wait. So you and Ja—"

Silenced by a quick tug, I found myself buried between her supple breasts. Through the cushion of her bosom, her heart hammered against her chest.

My hands slithered along her flanks, stopping only when they grasped the soft mounds nestling my head. Once she loosened her grip, I pulled away and took one of her dark nipples into my mouth. Softly pinching and twisting, my fingers occupied the other.

I ravished her chest for as long as I could keep my breath held. The sapid hint of sweat on her moist skin danced along my palate. She sung beautiful whimpers and heaving moans in my ears.

Between her breasts, I divided my attention. As one was suckled and nursed, the other was massaged and caressed. She ran her fingers through my hair, her head tossed back as French expletives left her lips.

"Embrasse moi."

Recognizing the phrase, I pulled away, flicking my tongue against her nipple as I did. Our lips pressed together in a throaty kiss. Tongues slid and caressed one another. A deep growl echoed in my throat, resulting in a shrill gasp from her. Her hands wrapped around my bare back and massaged the tense muscles.

Dragging her lip with my teeth, I pulled until her dulcet whimpers reached my ears. The purple mark on her neck caught my attention. Seeking to darken it, I latched my lips along the tender skin of her jugular. A few suckles is all it took before she gasped and writhed beneath me, squirming and squealing as she ran her fingers over my shoulders.

"Baise oui!"

Once satisfied with the blackening splotch on her throat, I lowered myself, nipping and sucking every few inches. A trail of hickies marked my path. Over her collarbone, around her breast, down her belly, and across her pelvis.

Upon recognizing my end goal, she grabbed the sides of my face.

"Wait," she said, breathless.

I followed her hands as they lifted my chin towards her face. "What's wrong?"

Her flushed expression turned scarlett. "I'm the concubine. At least let me practice being one."

My eyes sagged.

_Is she really that far gone?_

My jaw set and my eyebrows downturned as I pulled my head free of her hands and gave her another kiss. Far more tender than our previous attempts, I massaged her lips with mine and rubbed the tension from her trembling body.

Once she was calmed, I began trailing small kisses down her caramel skin. By the time I reached the apex of her legs, her scent was almost overpowering. Drunk on the smell of her lust, I yanked down the last barrier between me and the sickly sweet slit between her thighs. She shivered as her body was fully released into the cool night air, and brought her knees together in a slight panic. I tossed away her soaked bikini bottoms and took in her trepidatious gaze.

"This is it. If you want to pull out, here's your chance."

That was a lie, of course. I would have stopped at any point in time for her, and we both knew it.

Shivering in anticipation, emotions swirled through her eyes. Biting her lip and turning her head away, she opened her legs to me.

"Be gentle," she whispered.

"Of course."

I summoned a spout of water and rinsed away the last few grains of sand clinging to her thighs. A soft sigh left her nose as the cool water rinsed her down. Fresh and dripping wet, her thighs opened their way to the one place for which only my eyes bared witness.

With a quick breath, I pressed my head between her legs and kissed the inside of her thighs, gently nipping away to tease her. The occasional whine left her throat, but she made no effort to rush me. My hands slid along the back of her thighs until they reached her butt, to which she raised her hips to accomodate me. With a firm grip on her bubbly ass, I stroked my tongue along the rim of her plump pussy lips. Dripping with need and intoxicating my nostrils with every passing seconds, her pink pussy called to me, eager to feel my tongue.

"Mange moi!"

Her legs wrapped around my head, driving me closer to her piquant core. Smooth lips, moist and plump, quivered as I drew nearer. An experimental kiss on her vulva resulted in a breathy moan.

Ever so slowly, I slithered my tongue into the warm depths of her moist pussy. A juicy tang greeted my taste buds as I wriggled deeper and deeper. My nose pressed against her clit, massaging the small nub with small circular motions. Sapid nectar spilled into my mouth. Every dribble, every drop, found its way on my tongue.

"Oh, Percy," Piper cried.

She arched her back to alluringly dangerous degrees. Hands clasped on her breasts, and hips pressed firmly against my face, her delicious body threatened to break itself under the pleasure it endured. Through it all, I slurped and licked every drop of her essence.

I steadied myself on my knees. Dragging her body along, I pulled her pelvis up with my arms wrapped around her legs. Only her shoulder touched the ground. The rest of her toned body angled upward, presenting me with a glorious view of all she could offer.

She panted and nearly drooled with her tongue hanging out while her body was covered in sweat, making her glisten all the brighter in the moonlight. Both of her hands were occupied as she ran them through her hair, yanking more and more as her groans grew louder.

"_Percy..._"

Her pelvis bucked, and her hands left her hair to dig into mine. While erratically grinding into my face, she yanked my hair, pulling me impossibly closer to her, which made my nose ache against her pelvis.

The groaning into the night was finally pierced by a seraphinic scream. Backbreaking convulsions wracked her body in waves. Within seconds, I found my face drenched in her fluids.

Sweet tang coated my tongue. Drenched in a rich, vinous juice, I found myself wanting to drink more. Dazed in my lust-drunkenness, the quivering of her pussy lips appeared all the more inviting for me to indulge in.

I licked the bit around my mouth and smacked my lips. "Mmm, tasty."

Lost in a world of bliss, Piper panted. Eyes shut and chest heaving, her head lolled in her edenesque trance.

Following her high, she opened her eyes and smiled drunkenly. "Now I see why Annabeth was always trying to get some alone time with you."

I cracked a smile and moved down to kiss her. She received me with gusto, wrapping her arms around my neck. After pulling back, she panted lightly, but a mischievous glint shone in her eyes.

"My turn," she said.

She rolled us over gently and slowly worked her way down to my waist, before pausing and hovering her hand over the very prominent bulge.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards me so I could look her in the eyes. She was shivering slightly, but I couldn't tell if it was from anxiety or from the chill in the air. Whatever the case, I kissed her knuckles and worked my way to her wrist.

"You don't have to do this," I said. "No need to rush."

She bit her lips ever so slightly and exhaled through her nose.

"It's not that. I want to do it… I just… haven't done this before."

She looked away bashfully and pulled her hand from my grip.

I tilted my head. "So you and Jason never went this far?"

She shook her head violently, knocking her harpy feather out of her hair.

"Like I said, I knew we weren't going to last much longer. And just like you and Annabeth, we never had the time to do anything like this."

I pursed my lips. "Would you have? You know, if you had the time?"

She looked taken aback. A frown crossed her lips, soon followed by a grimace. She rested her hand on my knee, but turned her head away.

"In all honesty, I probably would have tried to find a way to have you be my first. Annabeth and I are really close, and I wouldn't want to get in the way of you guys, but…"

Tears pooled in her eyes, thoughts lain as bare and naked as her body.

I hugged her. Though I knew she detested being a damsel in distress, even I'm not oblivious to the benefits of a good hug. Breathing a sigh through her nose, she leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Thank you," she whispered.

I nipped her ear. "Let's keep it at this for tonight."

She glared at me, her eyes taking on a glow that reminded me of Artemis.

"No," she said. "I want this."

As if to prove her point, she slipped her hand beneath my pants and wrapped her soft fingers around my engorged erection. Jaw set and eyes furrowed, no further sign of hesitance revealed itself.

A warm kiss followed. Slow and tender, she made no efforts to use her tongue, nor did I. As she did, she pulled down my pants from the hem. My hand trailed to her cheek, offering no resistance as my pants fell to my knees.

Even with my erection in her hand, she eyed it with slight uncertainty. She swallowed and stroked it experimentally. I groaned a sigh of relief. Still, she retreated her grip, only to return it a second later.

Drawing shaky breaths, she inched her head closer. Eyes closed, lips parted. The warmth of her breath grazed the tip of my penis, causing me to shiver as she got closer and closer.

Around the head of my penis, her lips slipped over and sealed themselves. A slight flick of her tongue drew a hitch in my breath. Her eyes lolled open, glazed with a pink light. All tension left her shoulders.

She pulled away, stroking the shaft and rubbing her thumb over the tip. "'Tu as tellement bon goût."

Her roseate tongue slid from the base of my twitching dick to the tip and back down again, and followed by massaging it over my swollen balls. We both moaned, me from relief, her from indulgence.

Once satisfied with her work, she returned to the tip and slipped her lips around it. Doe-eyed with hollow cheeks, she warmed me with her moist mouth, from her lips to her throat. Bobbing her head, she slurped and sucked. Passionate is the only way I could describe her. Her hot mouth warmed squelched along the length with every plunge. With every pulled back, she slid her tongue along the bottom, ensuring she tasted every inch. Not once did the head leave her greedy lips.

Wild with her hands as well, she stroked and twisted along the portion of my shaft not reached by her lips. Her free hand rubbed along my thigh. Every so often, she took my heavy balls in her hand and rolled them between her fingers. Massaging them. Coaxing them.

Balls in one hand, my thigh in the other, she pulled forward. The head of my penis slid past her relaxed tonsils, forcing herself into a deepthroat. She gagged, eyes tearing up, yet she refused to pull away. Coughing and choking, she massaged my cock with her throat and my balls with her hand.

"By the gods, Piper," I moaned out.

She pulled herself off of me and coughed, catching her breath for a few seconds. After she recovered, she took hold of me and began stroking my length as she stared up at me.

"Like that?" she asked innocently.

I moaned. "If you're this good with your first time, I can't wait to see how good you can get."

She responded by squeezing my length in a vice. "Hey, I never said anything about times after this."

I groaned pitifully as she squeezed me, and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry...I just...I thought—"

Piper broke out laughing. "I'm kidding. This isn't as bad as I thought it would be. In fact…"

She opened her mouth and slowly took my length all the way down her throat, staring at me with slightly pink, innocent, ever-changing eyes, which watered as she gagged herself on me. Regardless, she held herself in place. Next, she slithered her tongue out and began licking my balls to the best of her ability.

I moaned contentedly and wiped the tears from her eyes as she choked on my length. She pulled back a bit and settled for a steady bobbing motion as she hummed along the length of my shaft. On occasion, she slid my cock down her warm throat and coaxed me cum in my balls, swallowing copious amounts of precum in the process.

I groaned from the stimulation and let her have her way with me. Her warm and wet embrace was unworldly.

Satisfied with her work, she pulled away. My throbbing erection cried out for her passionate embrace once more, so she responded by giving the tip a little kiss.

"Well—" she licked the stray precum from her lips, "—I think it's about time to get to the main event."

I gulped. Her personality shift unnerved me. The once insecure tomboy turned into an alluring vixen capable of turning all saints to sinners.

She took my silence as a cue to keep going. Her hands pressed against my shoulders until my back rested against the beach towel. A few breaths later, she straddled me. Inches above my aching erection, her dripping lips glistened in the moonlight. With a curled finger held between her teeth, she stared down at me with a pink lust glowing in her eyes.

My lips trembled and my throat went dry as the Cherokee demigoddess lowered herself, sheathing my painfully hard erection into her warm depths. We both groaned in perpetual relief as pleasure enveloped us. Her slick walls stretched to accommodate the intruder. My hands traveled to her waist, and hers to my chest. For a few moments, we relished in the feeling of closeness; neither of us wanting the sensation to end.

She made the first move. Rather than bounce on my hips, she rolled her pelvis back and forth. Buried deep inside of her, my cock pulsed in pleasure, loving the way her miry grip massaged it.

Her pace quickened. Within minutes of her starting, she was gyrating her hips on top of me like a belly dancer. Abs flexing in the moonlight, sweat streaming down her body, she looked like a goddess. Nothing more, nothing less. Melodic cries echoed into the night, rolling across the waves as she rolled her hips over mine.

Before long, my voice joined hers. We both groaned out, crying for the pleasure to never end. Our voices rang in tandem as our moans echoed through the night.

The feeling was incredible. Her warm and slick walls caressed and squeezed me lovingly, rippling with every roll of her hips. Rivulets of her fragrant juices streamed down my shaft and over my balls.

"Gods, Piper."

She grinned down at me and gave me a passionate kiss as she continued riding me. Small whimpers and moans made their way through her lips and down my throat as she continued. Our tongues embraced one another, mirroring the embrace of our hips.

The night wore on with the symphony of squelching sex. Her loving embrace tightened around my cock, dripping and soaking it with delicious juices with every shudder of her body.

Upon recognizing her exhaustion, I slid my hands on her hips and rolled us over. No resistance was given aside from a surprised yelp. I leaned forward and nuzzled the crook of her neck.

"I'll take it from here," I whispered.

She shivered and kissed my cheek. "Fais moi l'amour."

No further explanation was needed. I lined up with her entrance before slowly pushing my way through. Her velvety folds welcomed me, rippling around my member. Warm as before, her juices slicked the ridges of her interior, allowing me to slide in with ease.

I groaned. "So warm."

The music of Piper's moans carried on throughout the night as I carried on where she left off. With my hands clasping her waist, I pulled her towards me as I thrusted into her. After a few minutes, I began thrusting at a steady pace, watching Piper as her face contorted in pleasure. Her soft mewling grew louder with each thrust. Her slightly parted lips trembled. Her breasts bounced tantalizingly as my thrusts increased in speed.

"Percy…" she gasped.

I kept up my pace, pounding into her with as much passion as I could muster. Though my legs screamed for me to stop, and my arms couldn't hold me up anymore, I still kept going, sliding in and out of her juicy folds.

Unable to bear my own weight, I lowered myself to take her lips with my own. She lovingly accepted my advance and wrapped her arms around me. All through this, my pelvis kept up its rhythm.

I couldn't tell you what it was. Perhaps it was the hot breath from her nostrils. Maybe it was the sweet spice of cinnamon that danced on her tongue. It could have even been the rippling of her tight canal squeezing me for all I was worth. Most likely, it was Piper's beautiful scream into the night as she raked my back with her nails. All I can tell you is that it manifested itself immaculately as I was finally given release. With all of the tension built up, I finally let it all go with one last carnal growl.

Time was irrelevant. My thoughts were finally squashed by this moment of pure ecstasy. The pain in all of the right places left me craving more.

At some point, I collapsed on top of Piper. Both of our heaving bodies were too exhausted to try moving. My erection lie defeated, and emptied itself deep into her womb. Her juices clung to both of our thighs and caked the towel in its fragrant musk.

I attempted to roll off of her, but I was too exhausted. My face rested in the crook of her neck. My body shivered in the cold as the heat of our activities wore off. Her heavy breathing became a soothing and beautiful reminder of the pleasure I gave her.

Over some time, the cold air and lapping waves reminded me to get moving. With some difficulty, I pulled myself off of Piper. My torso screamed for her touch again, to be embraced by her warmth.

I looked down to her. Unruly hair crowned her head. Her swollen lips were slightly parted. Her caramel skin was bathed in a radiant afterglow. She looked divine and truly at peace. I wished for nothing more than to wrap her in my arms and sleep the night away on the towel, beneath the stars.

"Come on. We should get inside."

I wrapped my arms around her glowing body. She radiated warmth. Her gentle sigh was followed by an annoyed groan.

"Ugghhh. Do we have to move?"

I smiled gently. "If we want to get more comfortable, yes."

She glanced up at me and sighed in defeat. With slow movements, I helped peel her off the towel. She lazily kissed my jaw before picking up the towel and her harpy feather. We grabbed our clothes and the surfboards before stumbling our way back towards the mansion.

By the time we reached her room, we couldn't stay standing without the aid of the other. Our bodies were too exhausted to support themselves, and they yearned for the touch of the other.

Not even a minute after we threw open the door were we buried in the covers of her bed. Our arms and legs tangled with one another. No doubt, the sand caking our feet would be a pain to clean out of the sheets, but I didn't care. Piper's warm and tender body was entwined with my own.

A familiar sound broke the silence as she drifted to sleep and lightly snored. I found it oddly comforting. Such a small sound could barely be heard, but it made her seem all the cuter. With the fuzzy thoughts of what the future may hold for us, I gave her forehead a kiss before returning to my favorite resting place of her soft neck. Only a few seconds passed before I finally was given the sweet release of a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**A/N - Well, well, how about something to really wet your palette? You've now got a taste of what's to come. Funnily enough, while I have plenty of experience writing, this would be my first time doing so publicly. As such, you have just witnessed my very first crack at a lemon. Hope it was zesty enough for you. **

**As always, leave a review. Tell me what you like; tell me what you don't. Tell me your life story if you must. I promise you, I read all of them. I've seen the kind words, and I don't think I deserve that level of praise. At least not this early on. I mean, come on, there are plenty of writers out there that could put me in the dirt. Either way, I do honestly appreciate your words, and I'm reading your questions. Any question will be answered privately, as I don't want to give away the events of the plot. **

**Well, that wasn't an excessive author's note at all. Hope you guys enjoy the read! This is Ronin signing off.**

**Edits made: Aside from general cleaning up, I pretty much rewrote the entire chapter. A few more scenes were added, and of course, now Piper throws in some French dirty talk. Gods, that one change resulted in me wanting to edit this whole story. **


	7. Island Tour for Two

Island Tour for Two

As the morning rays drifted into the room, I stirred from my slumber. I couldn't recall a time when I slept so soundly. Such possibilities seemed beyond my reach. And yet, despite that, the only thing I know is that my rest came in the best manner possible.

Dreamless.

Curled in a loving fetal position, her legs curled with mine, lied Piper. Crowned in the radiant glow of the morning rays, she nuzzled her nose into my neck, sighing in content as she slumbered.

Memories of the previous night flooded my head. The drastic change between Piper's persona was unfathomable. To imagine that someone so alluring could be curled into my side, mindlessly rubbing her soft fingers along my chest, perplexed me to no end.

Was she cute or was she seductive? I couldn't answer. Both seemed a likely choice depending on her mood. But I did know one thing; I cherished both sides.

Mumbling incoherent words into my neck, she tightened the grip her legs had on mine, bringing me to a startling realization.

Di immortales, she's soaking wet!

Unaware of her own actions, she rolled her hips into my thigh, smearing them with the sweet honey streaming from her nether lips. Whether she was having a wet dream or was simply easily aroused, I wasn't sure. Still, I took advantage and dipped my head, pressing my lips against her cheek.

Her mumbling shifted into a sleepy moan; a smile stretched on her lips. As her eyes fluttered open, she took only one second to look at me before capturing my lips with hers. Soft moans filled the air as she unwittingly ground her pelvis into my thigh, coating both of us in her morning wetness.

"There are worse ways to wake up," she said, a sleepy smile on her face.

The grin on my lips betrayed my lecherous thoughts. "There are better ways too."

As an unassuming frown of confusion masked her waking countenance, I trailed my fingers down the subtle ridges of her vertebrae and grasped a handful of her ample backside.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. Only then did she take notice of the stalwart erection pressing against her belly. Her attention vacillated between my face and my throbbing cock, already leaking precum from its tip.

Lust clouded her eyes. As if in a trance, she wrapped her fingers around the shaft and smeared the precum over the head with her thumb.

I groaned. "While I would love to stay here with you, I have to go meet my nymphs today. We'll have to make this quick."

Her eyes flashed dangerously as she dragged her teeth over her bottom lip. "Oh, no. Not until we get our fill."

Our?

Before I could question her, she rolled herself on top of me and turned around, leaving me with a tantalizing view of her dripping vulva. Syrupy nectar clung to her inner thighs, glistening beautifully in the diffused morning light.

As I took in the sight of her plump lips, a lush warmth enveloped my cock. I groaned as Piper bobbed her head, stroking the untouched flesh of my shaft with one hand, twisting slightly until my hips bucked the tip deeper into her mouth.

Eager to return the favor, I wrapped an arm around her thigh and grasped her supple ass cheek. My other hand trailed along the toned muscles of her slim abdomen, sliding ever closer to her core until a series of frustrated whimpers reached my ears.

"What is it?" I asked, my voice dripping with playful wickedness. "What do you want me to do?"

She said nothing, instead spurring me on with her mouth squelching on my dick. A needy groan reverberated in her chest, spiking my pleasure to new heights. Evidently desperate, she wagged her hips from side to side, waving her needy pussy inches in front of my face.

Still, I denied her.

"What was that? You want me to leave?" I bent my knees, as if preparing to slip out from beneath her.

Without a second of hesitation, she surged forward, lodging my dick in her throat, and grasped my balls in her velvety grip. A clarion whine echoed in her throat as she massaged her tongue over the delicate flesh of my dick. Her knees dug into the recesses of my pillow on either side of my head, her pussy leaking its sweet dew onto my chin.

"Oh, so you really want it, do you?" My hand trailed closer to her leaking pussy lips, barely brushing the hood over her engorged clit.

"Mhmm," she responded, the vibrations making my cock twitch in pleasure.

From the combined effort of her deepthroating my dick, massaging my balls, and waving her desperate lips over my face, I relented. Two fingers massaged her lips as my tongue caressed her little clit.

A dulcet moan, pierced by a shrill whine, rippled across the sensitive skin of my cock. Her tongue lavished and her throat squelched with every bob of her head. As if spurred by newfound desperation, she quickened her pace, stroking and twisting her soft fingertips across the pulsing girth.

Feverish pleasure boiled in my loins, threatening to succumb to her whims and plaster her throat with my love. I couldn't dare let such pleasures go unreturned.

Suckling on her clit, I plunged my fingers into her steamy depths; piquant juices spilled from within, coating my knuckles with her essence. Her legs shivered at the sides of my head.

Quicker still, the arrival of my climax drew near. With resolute devotion, I massaged my fingers inside of her until they rubbed the spongy patch of nerves within her. I couldn't finish first. I wouldn't finish first.

"Mmmm!"

The shrill moan heralded the arrival of her quaking orgasm. Trembling, her body collapsed beneath her, blessing me with all of her warmth as she squirmed above me. A fresh stream of her juices leaked from her lips, coating my chin and mouth in its essence.

Satisfied with my work, I leaned back my head and allowed her to recover her wits. For a few minutes, she quivered and spasmed, her moments of ecstasy filled with satisfied moans as she slobbered on my pulsing cock. Lethargically, she pumped and sucked, not with any particular skill or passion, but with a simple determination to drain my balls of their contents.

I only lasted for a minute longer.

With only my clenching balls and a guttural grunt as warning, pearly cum spewed forth and filled her silky mouth. Her hum of satisfaction served to prolong my climax, as did her fingers. With careful strokes and caresses, she milked every drop of semen she could and swallowed it all without a second of hesitation.

Satisfied. Breathless. We lied there embraced in the warmth of the other, our loins both dribbling the last of their fluids. A sweet and sticky mess, we were. At some point, I started kissing her thighs, nipping at the tender flesh to warrant some kind of reaction.

"I'm tired," she mumbled. "And dirty."

A victorious smile wove its way into my lips as I pulled myself up, dragging myself from beneath her until her pelvis straddled mine. Still, she lied on her chest, exposing her beautiful back and bountiful ass, both within immediate reach. And reach I did.

"Mmm, a little lower," she moaned as I massaged the ample flesh.

"As much as I'd love to stay," I said, squeezing both cheeks to emphasize my point, "I have to meet the nymphs."

With a sigh, she glanced over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes at me. "So you would rather be with them than me?"

I paled, "Wha… no! I just… I mean…"

She laughed out loud. "I'm just playing with you," she yawned. "We have to take a shower first though." She pondered for a second. "You take one first and let me rest for a bit. If we do any more, neither of us are leaving until dinner." With that, she peeled herself from my body and dragged me into a lazy kiss.

Reluctantly, I showered and redressed in my clothes from the previous night. I then rushed out to the atrium to get the rest of my luggage.

Room after room, I searched and searched, yet I could seem to find any that were unoccupied. The first room I searched resulted in me walking in on Drew, a black sleep mask covering her eyes, lying stiffly within her covers.

My second room of choice fared far worse. In it, Zoë was halfway through changing, baring her gorgeously toned back and thighs to me as she slipped a linen chiton over her shoulders. For a moment, I stood, petrified and transfixed by her deadly grace as she hummed to herself, the toned muscles on her back flexing, utterly unaware that she had an audience. When her eyes did glance in my direction, she screeched with bashful fury. By the time I managed to gather my wits, a hunting knife had found its way across my throat.

"Why wast thou spying?" she said, her voice deadly calm.

"I- I uh… I…" My words stuck in my throat. My attention split between the deadly silver blade millimeters from my jugular and the vexing obsidian eyes staring into my soul. "I'm sorry," I squeaked.

As I stumbled backwards to the hallway, I crashed into Thalia, who released a surge of electricity as a result.

"Do immortales, Kelp Head. Watch where you're…" As she turned to me and assessed the situation, she realized why my attention was focused elsewhere. "Did I miss something?"

"He was watching me change," Zoë stated, her glare never leaving me.

"I didn't mean to," I said, my words tumbling out of my mouth faster than I could keep up with. "I was looking for my room because-"

"Okay, okay, hold it. First off, Zoë, he's going to see you completely naked at some point in the next two weeks. Him seeing you half dressed should be the least of your concerns. Secondly-" she turned to me "-why don't you know where your room is?"

"Um, well…" I tried thinking up an excuse, but only managed to stutter out an unintelligible phrase.

Her eyes widened in realization. "Already? Not sure if I should be impressed or worried about how fast you made your first claim." She paused for a moment. "And it not with Annabeth at that."

I paled, unsure of how I was going to die: a knife to the throat or a lightning bolt through my brain.

"Annabeth set up three doors down," she said after an unnerving pause. "Zoë, you still free for the arena?"

* * *

Annabeth wasn't in the room, so I rushed to get my clothes put away. After all, given the position of the sun, Annabeth still sleeping seemed unlikely. She never slept past eight thirty. I changed out of my previous clothes and into a fresh set of khakis and a clean white tee shirt.

Following that, I returned to the atrium. This time, however, there was a row of five nymphs standing before me. They were a mismatched bunch, but all of them were very pretty in their own right. From the far end, a slightly taller nymph stepped forward.

She gave me a slight curtsy and looked up at me. "Good morning, Master. How may we be of service to you?"

For a brief moment, I allowed myself to take in her exotic beauty, not that it was hard to do. From skin that matched the cerulean waves to eyes glowing like the violet corals beneath them, she radiated a unique beauty only an oceanid could.

"First things first, there is no need to call me Master. I don't want anyone here to be below me, unless it is of their own free will." I winked at that. Some of the nymphs giggled, others blushed. One of them scowled and looked away entirely.

The lead nymph shrank away. "We do not address you as 'Master' freely. It is ingrained in us to do so, and we are required to address you as such."

I pondered that for a few seconds, annoyed at the rules.

"Okay. I'm not sure how I can deal with that in the long run, but for now, let's just say 'Master' means 'friend.' Nobody here outranks anyone else, despite their titles. Even me. If I start acting out of order, I want you to call me out on it and do what you think is necessary. Got it?"

The entire row shared nervous glances towards each other, but nodded nonetheless. The head nymph simply strode forward until I could practically feel her breath on my throat. Despite being a nymph, she stood only a few inches shorter than I did. Her eyes narrowed warily as she approached, as if trying to determine my end game.

Within a single second, her face shifted into a bright smile. "Thank you, Master. We did not expect you to be so friendly." Before I could process her actions, she pecked my lips with her own, leaving me brain dead for a few seconds after.

After shaking the lapse of brain function from my head, I shifted my gaze to the oceanid, who was backing away and wringing her hands together with her head bowed. "What's your name?"

She straightened her neck, taken aback. "Um. My name is Palírroia."

I tried for a warm smile. "Well Palírroia, I don't want to be a friendly master. I just want to be a friend." I returned her action by kissing her forehead, to which her cheeks flushed a deep purple. "Now," I said as I walked down to the end of the lineup. "I would very much like to get to know each and every one of you." I turned to the first nymph. "What's your name?"

With that, I began moving down the line, girl to girl, until I learned all of their names. The first was Rose, who nervously combed a few petals of her namesake flower from her curly hair. Second was Thŷella, whose eyes may have been hewn straight from the mouth of a mollusk; not a single color shone in them, neither iris or pupil. Nimba came next, and recieved my forehead kiss of gratitude with a giggling blush, clasping her hands together and swaying side-to-side. The last of the nymphs said next to nothing, her attention seemingly fixed on the front door. Only after Palírroia stepped in did I learn her name was Ashe.

After learning everyone's name, Palírroia ushered them away to their morning duties. Each left with varying levels of enthusiasm.

I looked at Palírroia. "Could you give me a tour of this place? I've been getting spun around here for the past two days."

She offered a shy smile. "Of course. Please follow me."

* * *

I have to admit, Palírroia knew what she was doing. She showed me each and every bedroom and told me who claimed it. She then led me to the servants quarters. I told her to have all of the nymphs go and claim a room for themselves since there were so many to spare. From the atrium to the kitchen to the living room, the mansion provided every necessity a house could ask for, and then some. Even better was that we still needed to cover the second floor; which she informed me would be visited later.

We took a quick tour outside to see what natural beauties the exterior could offer. Along the way, we came across several fountains and statues, but those failed to catch my attention when compared to the real attractions. A massive pool area nestled between two wings on the north side of the eta shaped villa. A sprawling lounging area, complete with a fire pit, hammocks, and waterbed style lounge chairs covered one corner.

Along the western side of the complex, a massive garden sprawled before us. Despite the colorful arrangements to gawk at, my focus turned to the two beauties hard at work.

"Hey, Katie, Calypso, how's your morning going?"

They both turned to me, covered in dirt and sweat. Katie wiped her forehead with a bright smile on her face.

"Hey. You here to take up my offer?"

"Katie," Calypso chastised, "you know Percy isn't ready for us to start giving him that kind of attention."

She offered me a gentle smile while attempting to brush away the dirt on her arms.

I let out a nervous laugh. "Yeah, I'm still getting used to everything. Besides, we have an eternity to spare."

Katie pouted. "I know. But the quicker we get through this, the quicker we can relax. I might as well enjoy it before the other girls take you for themselves."

I attempted to shrink away, nearly backing into Palírroia. Calypso raised an eyebrow, but thankfully came to my rescue.

"Then why don't you put that sexual frustration to use and help me? We still have seven more honeysuckle bushes to plant before breakfast."

Katie groaned. "Fine. But I won't stay patient forever."

With Katie distracted, I pulled Palírroia back into the mansion. She voiced no complaint, aside from a startled yelp. When I was certain we would get no more uncomfortable conversations, I released her from my grip. She rubbed her wrist while glancing towards me with a bowed head.

"Shall we see the upstairs?" she asked.

"Lead the way."

We passed by a great deal of rooms that I could definitely get used to: a gym, a library, a martial arts studio, a salon (complete with spirits who were created solely to tend to the needs of each person).

Following the upstairs, she led me downstairs to an underground arena the size of a baseball diamond solely for armed combat. A massive wall of glass separated the hallway from the fighting pit of the arena. On the opposite side of it, Zoë and Thalia dueled with feral ruthlessness. Zoë caught my gaze for a brief second, long enough for her to fall victim to Thalia's boot to the chest. She voiced no complaint as she stood, rubbing her chest, but widened her eyes and turned away the moment she realized I was still watching. Thalia turned her head with a frown, only to notice me with a concerned expression, and waved me off. I decided it might be in my best interest to listen.

At the far end of the hallway loomed a celestial bronze door. Studded with thick bolts along the edges, it seemed so out of place within the modern mansion that I couldn't help but inquire as to its purpose.

"The dungeon," she said casually, though her downcast eyes betrayed her nonchalant demeanor. "In case you need to punish any of us."

"How common is it for nymphs to be sent here by the other gods?"

She wrung her hands together, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"It is quite common. The gods are quite strict with what they want from the nymphs. Should that nymph not perform up to the requirements, they are normally locked in a dungeon if not worse."

My hand pressed to my chin as I stared at the wall, unable to process exactly what could possess someone, even a god, to treat someone else so cruelly.

"I can promise you this. Unless they request it, I will never place any nymph in here. And even then, I won't dare leave them to waste away. You have just as many rights as I do."

Eyes wide, with pupils to match, she returned a stare with her mouth slightly agape.

"Umm," she blushed, "that reminds me. This is where Khione is currently being held."

My shoulders tightened. I had all but forgotten about Piper's nemesis.

"Take me to her."

The dungeon looked almost exactly like what one would expect. Damp cobblestones composed the walls. Colonies of bioluminescent algae clung to the ceiling, offering little more than mediocre light within the room. A row of three cells with chains bolted to the wall lined the room. In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but notice how starkly different the room appeared in comparison to the rest of the house, as if it were thrown in as an afterthought.

Bound within the center cell, still as a fox trapped in permafrost, was Khione.

Never before had I seen the snow goddess, but I heard about her plenty from Jason, Leo, and Piper, and how she sabotaged their quest to rescue Hera several times. I wasn't sure how to feel about that. Sure what she did was wrong, but someone who hates Hera can't be all bad in my book.

Just as those thoughts crossed my mind, a knot devloped in my gut. My hands started to itch and tremble as sweat rolled down the back of my neck. This is the one who attacked Piper. She needs to be punished severely for her actions.

Recognizing my own thoughts as barbaric, I shook them out of my head. My breathing steadied asI prepared to speak with the goddess.

I asked Palírroia to open the cell, and crouched in front of the goddess, who was crucifixed to the wall. Her skin was almost unnaturally pale, and a wild mane of black hair hung from her head. She wore only a simple chiton that flowed down to her ankles. The cell itself seemed to radiate the chill of the goddess. Soon I could see my own breath steaming as I braced myself to talk to her.

"Khione," I called.

She was awake as far as I could tell, but said nothing.

"Listen, I have no personal vendetta against you. You make this easy for me, I'll make it easy for you. Simple as that. There are plenty upstairs who would leave you down here to rot for eternity. I'm not one of them. I believe everyone should be given a chance. Trust me, I know what it is like to want to reject the gods. All of this—" I gestured my hand to the surrounding area "—I didn't want any of it."

She lifted her head and met my gaze with an icy stare of her own. It was hard to get a read on her, but I could definitely see the gears turning in her head.

"You could never know, Perseus. Just do what you really want and let me rot." She spat at me, her saliva frosted over my cheek.

I wiped off her snow spit and looked around. I sighed and left the cell before turning back to Khione.

"I'll be back at some point to see if you want to talk. In the meantime, I'll see if we can get you something to eat."

Palírroia and I then left the dungeon and locked it. The sea nymph absentmindedly shuffled through the keys in her hand as we made our way back up to the surface.

"Something on your mind?"

She almost dropped the keys. "Hmm? What? Oh, no! Of course not!"

I turned towards her completely and put my hands on her shoulders. "Be honest with me. Please."

Her gaze dropped to the floor. "I never expected you to be this kind. Most would have slapped her or starved her or worse, but, instead, you gave her time to cool off."

I held back my cringe from the accidental joke. "I wasn't lying earlier. I'm not here to be some tyrant. I want to be everyone's friend, so long as they're willing to do the same."

She was silent for a little while, but she then startled me with a kiss. I have to admit, I enjoyed the feeling.

"So," she said as she pulled away, "shall we continue the tour?"

* * *

I thought we saw everything, but those were only the bits the house offered. She led me to the cave where I met Calypso. Apparently it was completely up to me how we used it. On the island, there were plenty of other attractions such as a hot spring, and a natural lake nestled in the middle of the forest.

By the time we finished, it was a little after three. That didn't surprise me, considering how much we explored.

"Thank you Palírroia for the lovely tour." I took her hand and kissed the back of it.

"Of course, my lord. I am just doing my duty."

I eyed her curiously. I really wanted to get her out of this servant's mentality. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"I beg your pardon, sir?" She looked flustered.

"What do you like to do for fun? Like when you aren't working."

"Um. Well, I…" She turned away, wringing her hands together.

"Come on." I placed a hand on her shoulder, to which she hitched in breath. "You can tell me."

She turned to face me once more, her hands still clasped. "During my time being… trained," she said, her voice low, "I learned to love color. The beauty of it."

I pondered for a second. "Hmm. Sounds like you'd do well with art. Tell you what, I want you to spend the day with Rachel tomorrow. Ask to be her painting buddy. I'll check up on you at some point."

Her mouth gaped. "Oh. Um. If that is your wish, I will do it." She blushed, her cheeks near dark enough to mirror the night sky.

I smiled. "Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you for the tour. You can go do whatever you would like for the day."

She shifted her weight back and forth as if contemplating whether or not she wanted to run, but didn't move from her spot. I raised an eyebrow before she jumped out and kissed me again, this time with more energy than before. She even went as far as to wrap her arms around my neck.

A few passionate seconds later, she released me and ran off down the hallways. For once, it was me that was left flustered by a nymph.

After getting over my shock, I made my way over to the kitchen to quickly make something for Khione to eat, while getting some food for myself as well. Within minutes, I had a bowl of fruit and a bagel to give her, and I made my way down to the dungeon. Upon my arrival, a realization fell over me, I didn't have the keys.

"Vlackas," I cursed to myself.

I then came up with an idea, courtesy of Khione spitting on my cheek earlier. After some mild coughing and hacking and being a general annoyance to anyone who heard me, I managed to spit a fair amount onto the lock of the door. I then used my power over water to move it into the lock in the shape of a key. I never tried this before, but the door actually unlocked and opened.

I made my way inside, happy and slightly disgusted at my most recent power discovery. Khione hadn't moved (not that she could), but I passed the food bowl and bagel through the bars. I then used the moisture in the air to unlock Khione's shackles. She slumped to the floor, but still refused to move.

"Please eat at some point," I said. "I really do want to get you out of here."

**With that I left the dungeon and returned to the surface. Time to find the one girl who I planned to spend the rest of my life with even prior to this harem.**

* * *

**A/N - This chapter may seem like nothing more than a list of people and places, but look at it as a guide of what's to come. There's still a lot of set up that goes into a story this big. Now that you've been introduced to pretty much all of the major players, things can start getting a lot more interesting. **

**Also, to make a quick response to Ronnie R15, Artemis will play a role within this story, though it will not be until further down the line. Let's also keep in mind I said in the disclaimer that I'm deviating from the norm in terms of goddess hookups. I'll leave it at that.**

**Overall, it seems like you guys are enjoying it so far, though for the number of visitors, the reviews are shockingly low. Le gasp, do you not want to show your support? All joking aside, I'm glad everyone is having a nice read. Maybe you will be in for a nice treat tomorrow. Or maybe I will hold the chapter hostage until you come begging me for an update. Muahahaha!**

**As always, leave a review (especially if you want more lemony goodness). This is Ronin signing off.**

**Edits made: Drew out the wake up scene with Piper. Replaced walking into Rachel's room with Zoe (and included her later in the chapter). Removed nymph lottery system. General improvement of chapter.**


	8. Annabeth Goes Full Dominatrix

Annabeth Goes Full Dominatrix

Surprise, surprise, Annabeth was in the library. I couldn't make out exactly what she was reading, but it looked to be a novel of sorts.

"Hey, Wise Girl."

She perked up, nearly falling from her seat.

"Oh! Hey, babe." She tucked away the book in an effort to conceal it. "What's up?"

I decided to play a game with her. I narrowed my eyes and glanced towards her shoulder. "Move, spider!"

Just as I thought, Annabeth screamed for all it was worth. After her run in with Arachne, I couldn't necessarily blame her. She jumped into my arms in an almost comedic manner, crawling over my shoulders until she froze, nearly perched like a lizard.

I laughed as she realized how badly I duped her. She climbed off of me and started punching my shoulder.

"THAT. WAS. NOT . FUNNY," she yelled, landing a hit with every word.

I ignored the aching in my shoulder and kept laughing as I went for my target. She didn't realize she left her book on the table when she jumped, so I had no trouble grabbing it. Before she realized what I was doing, I took one look at the front cover and smirked at her.

"Really? Of all of the books that you could read, this is what you go with? Do I have to start making you refer to me as 'Mr. Grey?'"

Her face clued me in to her embarrassment. I could see how badly she wanted to shrink into a ball (most likely a bowling ball with me as the pins, but eh, details). I laughed and hugged her, though she refused to move whatsoever.

A few minutes passed before she started mumbling in my shoulder. "You were gone for six months Percy. I couldn't just watch porn to relieve myself while in camp, so I turned to this. No one would suspect anything from a daughter of Athena reading. Plus, most know to steer clear of me when I'm reading. I was just finishing this one up for the sake of closure."

I couldn't deny her logic, but it did make me feel bad for her. I never really thought about that. Sure, she was my only memory when I woke up at the Wolf House, but I was too caught up in surviving to think about her in that manner. She probably spent months stressed because I was gone, but it was probably made worse again because I wasn't there to "relieve her" of said stress, thus sending her into a downward spiral of panic and sexual frustration.

I kissed her forehead. "Anything in that book you wanna try out?"

She refused to look up at me, "Well… there was one thing…" She reached behind herself and pulled out a set of handcuffs.

"I trust you, Percy. And… well, I've gotten curious." She looked back up at me. The pleading look in her stormy grey eyes practically reduced me to my knees. Our eyes competed often, though I almost always groveled first.

"Okay, Wise Girl," I said as I picked her up bridal style. "Let's go."

* * *

The trip was easy enough. Me carrying her like this was ridiculously corny, but I think that's why I liked to do it so much. We passed the door and I laid her on the bed. I crawled in with her, kissing her as I moved on top. Sure, we spent a while kissing each other while on the Argo II, but it always seemed to get interrupted by someone else onboard, or be rushed by some monster attacking the ship. Regardless, those kisses held nothing to the raw passion that passed between the lips of Annabeth and myself at this moment. I stroked her golden locks and she rubbed my arms as our mouths battled one another, our tongues wrestling for dominance.

That's when it happened. She rubbed down to my forearms and made a move to look like she was going to clasp my hand. However, instead I heard a metallic _SHNICKT_ as a cold feeling wrapped around my wrist. I pulled back and looked down, but before I could, Annabeth took advantage of my confused state and wrestled me onto the bed. It took only seconds before I could realize what happened, but that was all Annabeth needed for her to leave me in handcuffs.

"Uh… Annabeth, what exactly are you doing?"

She grinned evilly. "Consider this payback for the library, Seaweed Brain."

I tried to hobble off of the bed since my legs were still free, but she tackled me once again. In my current state, I was no challenge. However, another set of handcuffs appeared in her hands, and she used it to cuff my hands to a bedpost.

Even in the awkward position, I still tried to swing my way out, but even I have to admit it was an extremely short sighted plan. She once again pinned me down and uncuffed my double cuffed hand. For a moment, I thought she was gonna let me go, but I never was that lucky. She simply rotated the cuff and used it to lock my other hand to the adjacent bedpost. I couldn't help but think about how much I looked the way Khione did when she was chained up. I looked like I was ready to be crucified; a tribute to the goddess that was Annabeth.

"Okay Annabeth," I laughed nervously, "joke's over."

She stood there above me with her arms crossed. Is it bad that I found her extremely hot when she looked intimidating like this? Maybe that's why I never minded our fights.

"Oh, no Percy. You are gonna be here all day and night. And if you're a good boy"— she got down on both knees so her crotch was rubbing mine and whispered into my ear— "then maybe I will let you out."

I bucked my hips underneath her, but she simply laughed at my attempt. She slithered off of me, taking extra care to rub down my torso as she went. Needless to say, I groaned as she did so.

She then started a little dance while standing above me, swaying her hips as she rubbed up and down her toned body. She then grabbed the hem of her shirt and slowly pulled it off, revealing a lacy dark blue bra covering her glorious breasts. I whimpered and struggled to leave my restraints.

"Oh, come on, Annabeth."

There was nothing I wanted more at that moment than to take hold of her confined melons. But alas, I couldn't move at all.

She continued her dance, though now she played more with her breasts, jiggling them in their beautiful blue prison. She would even go as far as to lean down to me and almost press them against my face. _Almost_. She would then pull away and continue her agonizingly sexy dance. No music was necessary. She pulled off incredible movements with a tantalizing rhythm of her own.

I groaned as my erection continued to press outward, straining to get some attention from this divine beauty. No such luck yet. My eyes bugged out of my head as she turned around and moved to pull down her jeans. She swayed her hips the whole time and I couldn't resist but staring at the lovely tanned cheeks that greeted me. They were round, but muscled very well, the kind of butt formed only after years of hard work. Of course, she also had to be wearing matching dark blue panties. I moaned heavily, and even slightly drooled at the sight. She knew very well what that color on her did to me.

She was now in only her bra and panties, but she refused to let up on the dance. I realized just how severe the torture Tantalus faced in the Fields of Punishment was. It was painful to see how close something you crave was, but to then be incapable of taking it for yourself. My eyes lit up with hope as she leaned down and started rubbing my abdomen. She then almost immediately stood up and walked off of the bed, which confused me and elicited a whimper at the loss of contact.

"Annabeth, you're killing m—"

My voice stuck in my throat as she returned, not so subtly carrying a dagger in hand. This was clearly not her previous dagger, as this one reflected a silver light. The thought still didn't comfort me. I went wide eyed as she brought her dagger closer to me. I never read Fifty Shades, but I was pretty sure they never went down this route of pain with how kinky they got.

She brought her dagger up to my neck before slashing her way down my shirt, leaving it open like a vest.

"WHAT THE HELL, ANNABETH?"

She cut my sternum, which obviously worried me a bit. That wasn't the worst part. What really scared me was when she saw the cut, Annabeth decided to lick up the small amount of blood that pushed its way out, keeping her eyes locked on mine the whole time. I don't know what it was, but I couldn't look away as my Wise Girl went ametuer vampire on me. I could only moan as she did. _Did I really just turn masochistic?_

"Annabeth… Stop… Please…"

"Not a chance, Seaweed Brain. You did this to yourself."

She then used her dagger to cut a strip of cloth off of my new vest and stuffed it into my mouth. Even in my panicked state, the message was clear; stop talking. Several kisses along my torso later, and her head was level with my waistline. She then grinned up at me as she unbuckled my shorts and yanked them down.

For a moment, I was happy to finally get some relief, but Annabeth immediately made sure I was not satisfied. She crawled up to me and started grinding against me. The contact overloaded with with sensations I craved for, but I could only beg for more.

As if sensing my despair, she moved her hand down to my clothed crotch and started rubbing it. Just gently at first, which brought forth a great deal of relief, as I moaned out and closed my eyes. However, my eyes shot back open when she suddenly squeezed my package _hard_. She then roughly rubbed it again. While my length was giving a very positive response, I could only think about how much this hurt. It was so uncomfortable, but it also felt so good! Ugh, what is she doing to me?!

She seemed to grow tired of my clothing as she decided to try the same thing, but this time with her hands actually in my boxers. The contact again felt great, but it was so rough it almost brought tears to my eyes. Her dry hands chafed roughly against my manhood as she stroked it. Her hands were never this dry. Not even in combat.

The pain and pleasure that emanated from my core became too much, so I tried squirming away from her. She was not going to allow that, so as I made my move, she moved her hands to squeeze something a little more delicate, or two somethings. With my balls quite literally in a vice, I knew better than to struggle. Her eyes maintained contact with mine this whole time. Those startling grey eyes that always entranced me were so dark I was almost afraid Typhon himself would appear in them. She wanted me to be powerless. She wanted me to beg for mercy. Me and my defiant self of course would not make it easy and give her what she wanted. I simply closed my eyes and turned my head, ready to let her have her way with me. She removed her hands from my crotch. I felt a shift in weight in the bed, then things went still.

_WHAAPPP!_

My eyes jolted open and I cried out in pain as I registered how hard she slapped me in the face. I knew even the gods were not gonna try anything against Annabeth for breaking the rules about not hurting me. She was just as terrifying, if not more so, than me.

I stared back at her in shock as she returned to her position, but she decided I had enough torture from her hands. She yanked my boxers off of me and cast them aside. She then moved her head so it was level with my crotch, all while again staring at me with those beautifully intimidating grey eyes. She slowly licked my length, starting at the tip and working her way down before reversing the action, giving the underside of my head a little flick which caused me to buck my hips and groan out.

Out of nowhere, she immediately plunged her head on my rod and quickly bobbed her head up and down it, sucking roughly as she went along and practically slobbered all over me. This was the first real relief she gave me. Perhaps she was done with the torture? She continued this for several minutes until my hips started to buck erratically. I was about to blow my load and she knew it. She waited until the last minute and pulled herself off of me.

I was ready to cry from the pain this put me in. At this point, my balls were churning and probably going purple. I groaned out loudly, trying to curse her out, but my cloth gag kept me from doing so. She then crawled up to me until her face was only inches away from mine.

"Are you gonna be a good boy?"

Desperate, I nodded my head rapidly. If it got me out of this position, I would do whatever she wanted me to.

"Then beg. Beg me for what you want."

I made a muffled grunt through the gag as my eyes went wide with shock. _She wants me to what?! Did I say that I would do anything she wanted? Crap. I did._

I decided to swallow my pride and started mumbling through the cloth in my mouth.

"What was that? Speak up."

I started trying to talk louder, but my mouth simply could not enunciate anything.

"Okay then. If you won't beg, then I guess I'll have to keep blue balling you."

I started wildly thrashing while almost crying, screaming through the gag. Once again she slapped me, but this time she did it so hard it knocked the fabric out of my mouth.

"What is it? What do you want!?"

In tears and with bloody lips, I ]repeated the line "I wanna fuck you, I wanna fuck you" over and over again as I hyperventilated. I grumbled in agony as my pain continued to build. Never getting any release kind of does that.

"Well, that's funny," she said. "Because from where I'm at, it looks like I'm gonna fuck you."

I went quiet. Tears streamed down my eyes as I stared at her, broken and defeated.

"Say it."

I looked at her with my eyes pleading for mercy.

"Say what is about to happen! Now!"

I groaned. "You're gonna fuck me"

"Now beg for it!"

I wouldn't even meet her eyes anymore. She didn't seem to like that, and squeezed my crotch in a death grip.

"BEG FOR IT!"

"Please, for the love of Olympus, just fuck me!" I screamed, in tears. Broken. Broken before the power of Annabeth.

"Don't you dare cum before me." She said that as she slipped her panties off. Her second set of lips were drenched and leaking all the way down her muscled legs. I couldn't believe how much she enjoyed what she was putting me through.

She then positioned herself above me and mercilessly slammed herself on to my shaft. She bounced up and down without relenting for what seemed like forever. She then began rolling her hips. I felt powerless below her. I loved what she was doing, but needed the control. The sensations pulsing through my body conflicted with my own desires.

It was then when I actually took a moment to study her face. She didn't make any sounds, but her face seemed under stress, contorted with pleasure. I realized she was also stifling her moans by biting her lip. What gave that away? The trail of blood dripping from her mouth to her chin.

I felt a spark of hope rekindle itself. She was actually enjoying this. So much so in fact that she was actively hurting herself to keep from acknowledging how much pleasure was coursing through her.

With my hope rekindled, I began to meet her rolling hips with thrusts of my own. I thrusted upward, trying to finish her. She knew what I was doing. She knew it very well, but that didn't slow her down in the slightest. Rather, she sped up, gyrating her hips so quickly they soon became nothing but a blur. The feeling was too intense. I could feel myself coming closer and closer to climaxing. I began to seriously get scared of what she would do to me if I finished first.

Those thoughts were laid to rest. She quickly stopped and pulled off of me. She then squatted over my face and furiously rubbed her clit. I braced myself, knowing exactly what was happening. Within seconds, she finally let out a guttural moan. She gave an earnest attempt to muffle herself by her biting her lips. She exploded all over my face, her juices reached everywhere. This was her final victory. She could finish and drench me, marking her territory, all while I was helpless to prevent it. What infuriated me the most was how much I enjoyed the taste. It was like raw honey straight from the hive, untamed and sickeningly sweet.

Once again she blue balled me. My face was eventually no longer covered in just her squirt. Soon my tears mixed into the concoction as I silently wept in pain. She came down from her high, breathing heavily while sitting on my chest. She then looked down at me for a few seconds. I felt I should give her one last _huzzah_, so I looked back up to her. A few breaths passed before she leaned down and kissed me. It was a tender kiss. The type I became so familiar with over the years. The only difference was I could taste the mix of her cum and our blood. The coppery honey taste was oddly intoxicating. The familiarity relaxed me, but it did not help the painfully burning sensation downstairs.

"I love you, Percy," she whispered after pulling away.

I never thought I would be the one who ever needed after care. "I love you too Annabeth...But why did you do all of that? It was basically torture…" My lip was quivering at this point, as if I was actually now registering how terrified I was of someone I loved.

She looked straight into my eyes and sighed. "I went through that every day you were gone, Percy. Every day, I was terrified. I kept track of every minute that ticked by. I was scared, lonely, angry and extremely horny. I couldn't satisfy myself. It was a torture that seemed nonstop." I looked down, ashamed.

"Then," she continued. " I found you. I was no longer scared. I was elated to have you back with me in ways I don't think words could ever describe. And when you told me I was your one and only memory, I was ready to break… But even though we were back together, we never had a time for ourselves. Something like this was beyond the realm of thought, but that still didn't change the fact I was never satisfied. Not until now. I have spent the last several months in the same agony I put you through, even though you never intended to do the same to me."

I realized why she needed the books to keep her busy. I realized why she was talking about me having a big head, and my ego getting the best of me. She was suffering and I failed to notice it. I claimed to be able to read her, but I never actually looked much further than the surface. I was glad her fluids caked my face, otherwise she would have seen the tears I was weeping for her sake. I knew she would never want that.

She kissed me again and then moved over to my cuffed hand. She unlocked one side before proceeding to the other. Now free of my restraints, my more animalistic side told me to give her what she wanted and then some, to pound her into submission until my bed broke. But despite my urge to get payback for what she did, I simply used my newfound freedom to hug her. I hugged her and held her close, our breaths in sync.

She pulled back and looked behind herself. Sure enough, my erection was still very prominent, painfully swelling as my balls turned blue and purple.

"Well," she said. "I think it's about time we took care of that."

She then unclipped her bra and pulled off my sliced up shirt. We were now fully naked with one another, neither one wanting to be anywhere else as we held the other. I then made her gasp as I took hold of the globes on her chest I yearned to grab forever. I briefly looked outside and realized it was pitch black. _How long was she doing that?_

I fondled her bouncing bundles of joy as she moaned at my actions. Something told me in the past, this was one thing she loved. It didn't take long though for her to pull back.

"I think it's about time we got to the main course."

She then pulled herself back, leaving a massive puddle of her juices on my chest. Once again she raised herself above my crotch, but this time she slowly lowered herself, moaning as she felt my swollen erection pulsing inside of her dripping love canal.

She was too spent to bounce, so she settled for rocking her hips back and forth, rolling them in a fluid motion as I met her every movement with a thrust of my own.

We were both too tired to ever try and conceal our pleasure. We were both moaning and groaning like love zombies. Neither one of us could be slaked. Soon it was just a matter of who could catch their second wind first. Luckily for me, being restrained for so long meant I hadn't exerted myself nearly as much as Annabeth. In her state, I knew she wasn't going to last, so I forced a change of pace.

I rolled us over and pressed her into the mattress. The once divine looking Annabeth was now exhausted and too tired to fight back. I began thrusting into her, pistoning myself like my life depended on it. My speeds and force grew greater and greater until I reduced Annabeth into a groaning wreck. Her words were indiscernible and her actions were sluggish. I had free reign and something told me she was loving every second of it. Soon it was just her screams that kept me moving. My erection was going nowhere anytime soon but my hips were soon screaming for me to stop.

I survived the pain of Annabeth, I could survive this pain of pleasure. I thrust for all it was worth until I could finally feel myself coming close. The near unconscious girl beneath me was also beginning to buck erratically. The idea became too great, as after hours of torture, we were both finally in a state of perpetual nirvana. It seemed as if only moments passed when she gave one final cry out as her body once again gripped my manhood in a vice. It was all too much as I released what seemed like gallons of my cum inside of her. I wasn't sure when I finished getting milked. It may have been ten seconds or ten minutes. But what I do know is when I was finished, I collapsed on top of Annabeth. She used her last bit of strength to roll us onto our sides.

She was bathed only in moonlight now. Her tan face and golden curls and grey eyes all glowed as if Artemis were granting her blessing upon her.

"Beautiful," I mumbled.

Too tired to even blush, Annabeth settled for kissing me. Just one last peck on the lips for the night.

"I love you," was all I could muster before getting pulled into a near comatose level of sleep.

* * *

**A/N - Oh, to be too loyal for your own good. If only Percy wouldn't just give in so easily to Annabeth, right? Oh, well.**

**So, I've been reading up on the reviews. Dang, guys. I wasn't expecting that much support this early on. While I love simply getting reviews, regardless of length or content, I absolutely adore getting the lengthy reviews where you talk about what you liked and didn't like. Special shout outs to SinfulTurtle and Hi im Manu for your consistent lengthy reviews. If you're a guest, and you happen to be the one who posts the lengthy reviews as well, props to you. I absolutely love reading those. If you want to see what happens with Katie, you won't have to wait too long.**

**Before I get any more reviews trying to chew me out for this chapter, just have a little faith in me. I know very well how to go about a _proper_ BDSM/S&M scene. You will get one in due time. This is not how I view these types of lifestyles, nor is this how I think they go down. Trust is important, and this clearly did not show any consent. I know that. Just put your trust in my ability as an author for a little bit longer so that way you can see the whole picture. I promise that by the end of the story, the Annabeth you see now is not what you will see then.**

**Regardless, I hope you guys enjoyed where this chapter went. As always, leave a review (you might just get a shout out if you're consistent with them ;)). This is Ronin signing off.**


	9. Plowing the Gardens

Plowing the Gardens

I woke from my coma blind and confused, staring through a very thick veil of something. As my eyes adjusted to the mediocre light of this situation, I realized I was actually buried in the mane of Annabeth's hair. _Hair in the mouth… not on my top ten list of ways to wake up._

I coughed as I sat up, pulling Annabeth's golden curls off me. I looked at her by my side. Just like Piper, Annabeth looked nothing like the night before. She terrified me then, but this looked like my normal beautiful girlfriend.

The memories of the previous night pierced my morning haziness. _Despite her words, did it really justify what she did? I mean… she basically… No… she couldn't have… could she?_

I groaned at the memory, not quite sure what to make of the situation. On one hand, I could get even with her… But I couldn't bring myself to do what she did. Even I knew better than to go that far.

I looked down at her passed out form. The sun wasn't even fully out yet, so I wasn't going to complain, though it did make me question why I woke up so early. _Was my stamina increasing? _However, when one considers how much Annabeth exerted herself yesterday, her sleeping should be no surprise. I decided to clear my head and collect myself.

I leaned over and kissed Annabeth's head , resulting in some sleepy mumbling, and pulled myself out of bed. Just as I started to stand, my legs collapsed before me, allowing my face to become familiar with the floor.

_Ow._

My legs were done in, my face started to burn, my chest stung, and my crotch… well let's just say my crotch needed a break after last night's activities.

Water. Water's what I needed. I dragged myself to the bathroom and wormed my way into the jacuzzi. Up until this point, I always used the showers, which of course were just large enough to fit two people. I pulled myself to the nozzle and turned it on, practically sticking my head under the torrent of water that rushed out and filled the tub.

Immediately, my body started to feel better. My face no longer throbbed, the cut on my chest closed up and vanished, and my legs felt reinvigorated. My crotch was still sore, but I had a feeling it would take a lot more to undo the damage Annabeth did to it. I couldn't find myself holding it against her though. _Sure, she went a little nuts last night… okay really nuts… okay, maybe she went way over the line. _Despite that, I couldn't help but feel bad at how much she struggled before finding me and even afterwards.

_Stop it. Bad Percy. You need to focus on the here and now. You are on an island full of some of your best friends, all of whom have to have sex with you. Life couldn't be better… Did I really say that? Ugh. This is really starting to go to my head. How long is it until this place actually changes me?_

In any case, my muscles felt better, so I started washing myself down and finished up my time in the bath. Instead of using a towel, I willed myself dry and walked out to my room. As I dressed, I glanced over to see Annabeth still lost in her slumber, taking hold of the pillow I slept on. I smiled a bit as I enjoyed how cute she looked. I quickly dressed in another tee shirt and some basketball shorts. I grabbed my cut up shirt from the previous day, and sighed as I threw it into a wastebasket by my desk.

_Let's go see if I can walk off the pain in my pants._

* * *

Small tufts of cloud floated through the pink morning sky. I walked along the outskirts of the house of the villa, taking in all of the sights and enjoying the various attractions my home offered. After a while, I stumbled across a sight I never really took the time to appreciate before.

The gardens were lovely and simply teeming with colors of every shade. Fruits and vegetables mixed in immaculately with flowers and herbs. The smells and colors were almost like a drug with how overwhelming they were. What excited me the most though was in the middle of the rosemary patch, troweling away at the soil. Katie Gardner.

I briskly made my way over to the Demeter girl, curious if I could contribute to the beauty of the garden.

"Hey, Katie. Working hard?"

She barely regarded me. "Hey, Percy. Don't you know it. How about you? Enjoy breaking the bed with Annabeth last night?"

"Woah, wait. What?"

She looked back at me, "Did you honestly think none of us could hear you? By the way, you sound cute when you beg."

I will admit, my hands started clamming up. "Umm… well… I don't know what to say at this point, except that you have never been at the mercy of Annabeth."

She seemed to ponder for a few seconds. "Fair point. She is scary enough without adding sexual frustration on top of that. Oh. Also, your escapades last night kind of kept everyone up, so don't be surprised if everyone takes a while to wake up."

_Were the walls really that bad at cancelling noise? You'd think a harem would be one of the first places where you want to have highly insulated walls. Then again, Tyson led the construction. His poor innocent soul would never imagine what activities took place. I definitely need to get some way to cancel out noise between the rooms, otherwise we may end up having another situation like this again._

I was so caught up in thought, I failed to notice Katie calling me.

"Hey, Percy. Gods, do I have to smack you to get you to snap out of it? Stop checking out my ass and listen."

I never realized where my eyes focused on. _Curse you brain!_ But now that she mentioned it, she did have a really nice rear. Demeter definitely blessed her daughter with some generous curves around her gardener muscles. She was still fit, as most veteran campers were, but you could tell she got her carbs everyday.

Come to think of it, I never really took any time to actually look at Katie. She shared the signature Demeter traits of golden brown hair and hazel eyes. Her face resembled her mother's; stern, almost warlike, but still regal enough to be considered royalty. Prominent cheekbones framed nearly her entire appearance, though her lack of makeup failed to detract from her beauty.

_Crap. She's still calling me. Brain, I am so going to whoop you later by reading._

_No_, my brain called back, _anything but that._

Katie stood in front of me, snapping her fingers to get my attention. When that failed, she resorted to slapping me upside the head. _Why did everyone have to slap me? And why were the gods not enforcing the rule not to hurt me?_

"Ow! Dang Katie. You're a lot stronger than I gave you credit for."

She looked a little miffed, but pleased with herself all at once. "Consider it a reward from working in the gardens a lot. Now are you gonna listen or not?"

"What do you mean?"

She rolled her eyes. "I could use some help out here. Calypso is still asleep and I wanted to have all of this rosemary sowed so we could have some with our dinner in a few nights."

Her logic seemed sound. "Absolutely. Where do I start?"

* * *

We kept working in the garden for about an hour or so. We plucked all of the good rosemary and resowed all of the bushels that could use more time. I never realized how fun garden work was, or how much strain it put on my arms. Those were sore to say the least.

I went to get some water and got Katie some as well. I returned to find her with her back to me still digging away, trying to pull out some roots. "Hey, Katie. Take a break to drink something." I motioned to give my water to her, but she wasn't even fazed.

"Maybe in a little bit. Could you hand me the spade?"

Unsure of the little shovel's whereabouts, I squatted down to put my waters to the side to look for it. Katie reached behind her, clearly expecting the spade. While she did end up grabbing a tool, I doubt it's what she was looking for. She grunted in confusion as she felt around, realizing too late what the contents in her hand were.

She gasped. "Percy?"

I went silent, too stunned to even register her voice. My eyes were wide with shock and my mouth hung open slightly.

She stroked it a bit before slowly turning her head around to face me. She looked down to see what her hand was grabbing.

"Oh gods, Percy," she whispered, her voice almost inaudible in the morning breeze. She stared at it like a child introduced to chocolate for the first time. She looked… hungry.

With one lick of her lips, she turned herself around so her whole body faced me. She crawled forward until her head hovered inches away from mine. She looked up to me with a slight pout.

"Come on, Percy. I've been waiting so patiently for this. Can't I have a little taste?"

I kneeled there in a moment of stunned silence. "Um. Well… I mean. Sure… If you want."

She gave me a wide grin as she curled her fingers around the hem of my shorts and pulled them down. Once they were past my knees, she paused.

"What did she do to you!?" Her face shot up with a panicked expression.

"Um… well…" I failed to articulate my thoughts. After all, I couldn't quite understand what Annabeth did to me last night either.

"Does it hurt?" She took the length into her calloused hand with a surprising gentleness.

"… A bit," I admitted.

"Oh, you poor thing. I'll take care of this as best as I can."

Without skipping a beat, my little head passed through her lips as she licked along the underside. While she didn't have the raw passion of Piper or the skill of Annabeth, she still remained a generous lover. She utilized a simple technique, preferring a hands off approach. No doubt she understood how much damage her callouses could deal to my sensitive penis.

Her hands rested on my thighs, pushing me backwards until I sat in the dirt. Her miry mouth squelched as she bobbed her head, making no effort to suck, focusing her attention on massaging the organ with her mouth without harming it further.

"Gods, Katie. This is fantastic."

She pulled off with a bright smile. With one leisurely lick along the shaft, she kneaded my thighs before removing herself entirely.

"I'm glad my work is enjoyed. Does it hurt at all?"

"A little bit," I said between short pants. "But it's not because of you. I think there's just too much built up."

"Well then," she said with a coy smile, "I better take care of that."

Her lips returned to envelope my head before plunging herself further along the meat than before. I flinched at the feel of her fingers trailing along my throbbing gonads. Not once did she squeeze, nor did she even press into them. She simply raked her nails across them in gentle circles.

As I acclimated myself to the new sensation, Katie pushed herself further along the shaft. Her eyes bugged as the pulsing organ slid down her throat, clear strain on her face as she struggled not to choke. Several minutes passed, but she eventually managed to meet her nose with my pelvis. Her tongue tenderly caressed the jewels before her mouth, brushing them with soft strokes.

Unable to hold the position, she pulled away coughing and drooling. Tears ran down her eyes as she heaved.

"Are you okay?"

She grinned up at me. "Oh, yeah. Just a little over enthusiastic is all."

Without allowing another second to pass, she returned to her previous position, lodging my phallus deep in her throat. Her eyes bugged once again as tears welled up, but she didn't once pull away. Rather, she massaged me with swallowing motions, constricting her esophagus around me, not once taking her warm eyes off of mine. The mix of her looks and the sensations overloaded my ability to think. Pressure built up in my scrotum with a familiar pain. Too late did I realize what it signalled.

"Katie, I'm gonna…"

She hummed along the length, deliberately sending vibrations that would have caused me to collapse if I weren't already sitting. Her mouth pulled away by a bit, but still clutched her treat between her lips, stroking the tip with her tongue.

Unable to hold back any further, the pressure released in painful waves. I froze, nearly blacking out as my hips bucked. Several globs of semen poured into her mouth, but not once did she pull away. Rather, she moaned in response to the warm cream filling her mouth, making no effort to move it anywhere else.

The moment passed after a near eternity. With the tension released, I let out heavy sigh of relief. Katie pulled away, holding her hand beneath her lips to catch any rogue drops. For a few seconds, she swished the fertile liquid in her mouth, savoring the taste. I half expected her to spit it out. After all, semen doesn't exactly rank high on the list for best flavors. To my surprise, she swallowed it all. She even went so far as to lick up a few stray strands clinging to my penis.

"Well, Percy, it looks like you've been eating well. Though you could definitely use some more fruits in your diet."

Unable to form a response, I offered a nervous smile. When I looked to see her hand still swiping off a strand of cum, my face turned to horror.

"How am I still hard!? There's no way that's possible!"

Katie offered a warm, though mischievous smile. "You've apparently never been with a daughter of Demeter. We can energize our lovers using our surroundings as long as we're around plant life. You didn't seriously think I was done with you, right?"

At first, I really couldn't tell you what happened. Before I could offer a reply, a flurry of vines lashed out of the ground and wrapped around her wrists and ankles, soon stretching her out on the ground of the garden. She tried to fight them off, but the vines held fast.

It took awhile for me to realize that this was her punishment for slapping me earlier. _Was Demeter actually giving me permission to take her daughter? Not by my count. Not like this._ I moved to pull the vines away, but they were much tougher than I realized. Even after I slashed at them with Riptide, they didn't budge.

After my failed attempts at trying to removed her restraints, Katie stopped trying to thrash around and growled in frustration.

"Okay, mom. If that's how you're going to play this…"

She closed her eyes and whispered something under her breath. Soon soft grass sprouted around us. Following that came a bunch of wooden tendrils that began to encircle us. Within moments we were trapped inside of a sphere of wood and leaves.

"There," Katie said, "now no one can interrupt us. Where were we?"

I looked down to her. "Wait, are you seriously saying—"

"Yes, I am. I'm not getting out of this until my mom is satisfied. Besides, I was planning on going down this route anyways, so I may as well embrace it. Sure I wanted to use my hands a bit more, but if this is how I have to take it, then fine…"

I gulped harshly. _A performance. Seriously, are the gods deliberately making things more complicated?_

After mentally slapping myself over and over again, I finally came around and decided to go with it. If the gods wanted a performance, I was going to make damn sure that Demeter envied her daughter afterwards (I promise I'm not spiteful or anything… okay maybe a little). Besides, I highly doubted Katie would be too happy with me if I just left her there.

An awkward smile passed between us as I picked up her hips and slid her underwear down her thighs. I simply lifted up the skirt to her dress and licked my lips hungrily at the sight of my breakfast. My face dove down into her snatch and devoured the juices she already expelled.

"Oh, Percy," she gasped.

I refused to relent, eating her out with a refreshed vigor. An earthy and invigorating scent permeated the small shelter, making me feel as if I could go at this for hours. Her juices seemed to be a bit stickier than the previous girls, but it's intoxicating scent nearly drove me to grovel on the spot. The divine earthy taste mixed with the viscous fluid reminded me of syrup. I almost wanted to make some pancakes and have her squirt on them. _Almost_.

Her thighs jiggled against the ground as I indulged on her sweet, musky slit. Her fluids ran down the base of her buttocks and seeped into the earth, no doubt offering a fantastic fertilizer. Despite her less than ideal situation, being tied up and all, she still let out a flood of cries and moans.

"Gods, yes! Please don't stop! Fuck, Percy!"

Within minutes, my face glistened with her sticky juices. My nostrils failed to register any other scent except for hers. I realized what she was getting at earlier. My weariness from her previous actions wore away. I wanted to return the favor. I _needed_ to return the favor.

With no other thoughts entering my mind, I picked myself up and squatted above her entrance, my equipment ready to plow this field (gods that was a bad joke).

I gave her a bit of time to compose herself and steady her breathing. She looked down and realized exactly what position she was in. She gave me a determined nod. With that, I pushed myself past her second set of lips and into her waiting cunt. Her walls were warm and wet, like a recently watered field of wheat on a midsummer afternoon, but it made it all the easier to pound away at her. And pound away I did.

In the back of my mind, I asked myself why I didn't start off with a slower pace. A voice in my head nearly screamed in reply. _Take back the control you lost! She's no delicate flower!_

"Oh Gods! Yes, Percy! Yes! _Yes_! _YES_!"

She let herself go completely as I continued battering her hips into the soft grass. Her balmy and snug pussy trembled as I pistoned myself in and out of it like it would be my last time ever getting this experience. Soon, she failed to make tangible words or phrases. Rather, she groaned and drooled, relinquishing just about all control she had, not that there was much to begin with. The squelching of our hips meeting soon sounded throughout the dome, muffled only by the grass and wood.

Seconds later, her legs all but stopped their trembling. I spent days wondering why she went so limp when only moments before, her nirvanic screams rang throughout. I should have taken the pool of fluids at my knees as a hint.

I failed to recognize the extent of the situation and continued mercilessly drilling her, determined to get my fix out of this. Her groans were slowly but surely getting louder. Somewhere along the line, I must have really rocked hard, because her breasts spilled out of her dress and flopped back and forth as I bashed my hips against hers.

Knowing my finish was near, my last string of thoughts were to ensure Katie's satisfaction. Using the last of my second wind, I took hold of her flaunting mammaries and hammered away faster than before. With a deep growl, I quickly lunged at Katie's face and kissed her deeply.

Still sensitive from her previous orgasm, and unable to handle all of my actions at once, Katie screamed into my mouth as she clamped down onto me and sprayed her juices onto the grass. I couldn't hold it anymore. With one last final growl that reverberated deep into her throat, I unleashed a wave of my cum deep inside of her. Our legs twitched until we were all but finished expelling our fluids on or in the other.

I breathed heavily. "That. Was. Incredible."

She tried to laugh, but it came out as dry exhale. "You're telling me."

The irony of being tired in this situation was her mere presence revitalizing me. I pulled off of her and leaned back. The tendrils that held her receded into the ground. Obviously her mother seemed satisfied with our performance.

That idea startled me more than I expected. _Performance…_ _Were they like keeping score and rating me as I went along? Gods that is creepy._

Katie fingered the cum from inside of her and slurped it into her mouth. When she finished dripping, she pulled her panties up her thighs and stood up.

I chuckled. "I feel like I could go several more rounds."

She raised her eyebrow. "Maybe you can, but I am _not _about to go through that. Though, I won't complain if we do this again in a few days."

She raised her hands and waved them in a wide circular motion while muttering, and the dome around us collapsed back into the dirt. Soon, no evidence of what we just did could be seen.

"You know. It's kind of creepy how you could just lock someone in that."

She laughed and took my hand to pull me up. "It's a protection ability. I can't use it to trap people. I can only cast it around myself. It's just about completely impervious, and as a bonus, it's completely soundproof." She gave a little wink.

"Well that's a good thing. Otherwise every other girl here would be out to get my head now."

She laughed wholeheartedly as we walked back inside. "Maybe the one between your legs. Seriously, that thing gave me a workout. I hope you're feeling better, by the way."

"I think I am. You definitely gave me the release I needed."

"Glad to hear it. Don't hesitate to see me if you ever need another release."

I laughed at her comment, and hugged her as she took off. She went to go clean herself up, and I went to the kitchen to fulfil my earlier desire for blueberry pancakes.

I indulged in the fantastic meal as the others finally strolled out. Given the time, I couldn't help but wonder how badly Annabeth and I kept them up. Speaking of which, she was one of the first ones out and about.

"Hey, Wise Girl. Sleep well?"

She collapsed on a chair at the dining table and dropped her head onto the table. "I'm sooooorrrreee," she groaned. She looked up at me with a tired glare. "You actually bruised me quite a bit last night."

_Seriously!? After what she pulled last night, she's upset about being bruised!? But… maybe I should have been gentler… right?_

I shrugged sheepishly and gave her a kiss. "You'll feel better in due time. Where do we keep the ambrosia and nectar?"

She gave me a quizzical look. "We don't have any here. This is supposed to be a paradise free from all harm. There would be no reason for us to have it."

That made no sense to me. Not only were there plenty of ways to still get hurt, but the gods ate nothing but ambrosia. _How exactly are we immortal but eat regular food? Albeit, amazing regular food, but still regular food._

Annabeth leaned her head against me. "I'll get better, Seaweed Brain. It just means you have more time to spend with the other girls."

I may have blushed a bit at this, but I didn't let it show to the others. The last of the girls walked into the dining room, all of them with dark circles under their eyes. Reyna, in particular, looked like she had a rough night.

"Guys, did none of you sleep?"

Reyna glared at me. "It wasn't for lack of trying. We could hear you with Annabeth all night. You guys didn't stop until like three in the morning. You could have at least left the house like you did with _Piper._" A familiar venom rang in her voice as the name of her rival passed through her lips.

Annabeth, Piper, and I gave our best impression of a tomato garden.

"Was it really that bad?" I asked.

Everyone at the table nodded.

"You better have that kind of enthusiasm with me, Kelp Head."

Everyone burst out laughing at Thalia's comment.

"Seriously though," she continued, "you guys were doing things that shocked even me."

"We shocked the daughter of Zeus? Oh, the irony." A momentary stare off ensued between the two demigoddesses, but both busted out laughing seconds later.

The conversation continued like this. Everyone had to ask about why I sounded like I was in fear of my life while Annabeth sounded like a dominatrix (because both of those statements were true). Eventually the conversation moved down a route I knew was inevitable. Today was the day we had to figure out a plan for the rest of the girls. I never thought arranging girls to sleep with me would be this intimidating and stressful. Of course, with all of the time I spent the last two days, I never gave this any thought.

Leave it to Annabeth to have an answer for them. Seriously, what would I ever do without this girl?

"Well, initially, my plan was to do a sort of lottery system where we draw a new name every day. The thing is, that is just demeaning on so many levels. So I came up with a method I call the 'Anonymous Tip.'" She pulled a small sack out of her pocket and spilled its contents out onto the dining table. Out of the little sack came a small pile of drachmas.

"I recently went to Olympus and asked Hephaestus to make these. They are customized drachmas, one for each person who has yet to share a bed with Percy. On one side of each, they have the initials of the person they represent, and on the other, there is an emblem that I best thought would represent each girl. This is obviously not including the nymphs, as they will do their own thing with Percy on their own time."

I took a look at each of the drachmas. The emblems were as follows: a lightning bolt for Thalia, a horse with a big diamond behind it for Hazel, a flurry of hearts for Silena, a moonlace flower for Calypso, a lipstick print for Drew, the huntress constellation for Zoë (she teared up a bit), a bow with a skull behind it for Bianca, a pegasus with crossed spears behind it for Reyna, a paintbrush and palette for Rachel, and an oak tree in a wheat field for Katie.

I decided to lay the truth on her. "Um. Annabeth. One of those drachmas won't be needed."

She looked confused at first, but then scanned everyone's face at the table. I suppose she took notice of the one person who didn't look like they were still waking up. "Katie. You two have already done it? Wow. I'm impressed."

Despite her words, I recognized the twinge of jealousy in her voice. The same note only ever rang whenever our conversation fell on the topic of Rachel or Calypso.

_Is she really jealous despite handing out coins to get these girls laid?_

Katie shrugged. "Blame my mother. She made it all too easy for him to get what he wanted."

"Hey," I said defensively, "you instigated that by slapping me."

Everyone busted out laughing with that statement. For one moment, the tension that hung over the situation all but vanished. To see so many people smiling, even though we all knew what the future held for us, warmed my heart.

"Well," Annabeth stepped in, her face flushed and lips tight, "in any event, everyone has a coin for them. So go ahead and take yours; minus Katie now."

Zoë raised her hand before speaking. "I am afraid I don't quite understand. How is this anonymous if we all can clearly tell who the coin holder is?"

"I was just about to get to that. This is basically a means to prevent anyone here from having to risk publicly asking Percy to sleep with them. Now if you have no qualms against having everyone know, more power to you. You don't have to use this system. But for those of us that value discretion, simply slide this coin under our bedroom door at any time. We'll know who put it there. After that, Percy will come and talk to you to make sure you _are _serious about it. After that, enjoy your time."

About half of the girls were blushing by this point. Not that I could blame them. I was also taken aback by how casually Annabeth was able to arrange for people to have sex with me. Especially with the rage so evident on her face.

"Well. Now that this whole debacle is taken care of, let's get some food out here."

Never before have I scarfed down a second breakfast so quickly.

Following the close of the meal, I told Annabeth about my little system going on with the nymphs and the meeting I scheduled with Palírroia in the evening.

"I know you said the whole lottery aspect was demeaning, but I've already made it clear with them sex is _not_ my intention. If it ends up working out that way, then oh well."

She gave me a curious look. "You seem to be taking this a lot differently than I was expecting."

I wasn't too sure how to answer. "I… I think I've gotten past the rejection phase of all of this. I've tried coming up with ideas to get around this, but… nothing worked."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she read my face. "You may have given this some thought. But I think your own doubts are keeping you from acting on them. You haven't talked to anyone about this. Something is telling me you really don't want to."

_Crap… She just caught me lying to her. What's going on with me? I would never lie to Annabeth!_

But I can't help but think what she says is true. The longer this goes on, the less I feel like fighting it. And above all else, I start to feel like I don't want to lose this. This place… It's messing with my head. This gift from the gods is changing the way I think. How long is it until I forget who I am and why I'm here?

Evidently reading my panic, Annabeth knocked on my forehead to get my attention. "Hey, it's fine. You're a guy. This is like nirvana for you. No point in me getting upset over it, because it was literally shoved onto you before you even knew about it."

"It's not that, Annabeth. I'm… I'm afraid I'm losing myself. I would never outright lie to you. I would never just go and enjoy claiming several girls for myself. This place is screwing with my head and I don't want it to change me."

At this point my elbows were on my knees and my face was buried in my palms. _There is always a catch to these gifts. There is always a price._

"Hey," she picked my face up by my chin and held it in place. "We'll figure this out. I didn't go through hell and back just to lose you to heaven."

With that, she kissed me. Just a tender kiss, but it melted my brain with its warmth. For a few moments, my mind calmed and cleared. This woman really had quite the effect on me. For someone who, only moments before, showed clear signs of hating this, she certainly flipped the switch when it came to caring for me.

_Wait! But last night, she just—_

_Shut up! I love her!_

She pulled back. "Now. As I recall, you have a date with a sea nymph."

* * *

**A/N - For those that found last chapter to be a bit much, just know that it existed for a reason. To make a bit of a reply, this is definitely a Percabeth storyline. Just you wait for what it entails. Also, I hope you guys enjoyed where I went with Katie. While her major contributions will but put on hold for a bit, as her character motivation exists outside of the main plot, I definitely need to move things along. **

**Speaking of which, I want a little bit of input from everyone. For the smutty scenes, I am striving to make each one unique. Trust me, while I already have every scene planned out, and have quite a few varied ideas, I'd still like some input on what you guys think could work. Also keep in mind that I want to make sure that everyone stays in character (so no suddenly turning Hazel into a dom or anything along those lines). Please shoot out any ideas, so long as they abide by the guidelines within the disclaimer. Locations, positions, pairings, personalities, etc.**

**As always, leave a review. This is Ronin signing off.**


	10. Coming Together of the Sea and Spring

Coming Together of the Sea and Spring

Before arriving to the nymphs' quarters, I ran into a very expectant looking Rachel. Despite my efforts to just give her a smile and walk on past, she grabbed my arm, yanked me towards her, and turned my lips into her personal playground.

I pulled back, breathless and startled. Our green eyes clashed with one another as I tried to speak.

"Wha... what was that about?" I asked, somewhat gasping for air.

She put her hands on her hips. "I've been wanting to do that ever since we got here. Besides, you've been panicking for too long about this. I meant what I said, I knew this was going to happen."

I eyed her curiously. "Speaking of which—"

"Yes, I am still the Oracle of Apollo. There are several oracles, but I'm the most reliable." She winked.

"So, if someone wants a prophecy, what then?"

"For the time being, there won't be any questing or prophecies. And if I get hijacked by the spirit of Delphi, then I don't know. Maybe that'll override the laws of the island and I'll be able to leave on my own for a short while."

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't sound too disappointed."

She shrugged. "I told you, I saw this coming. Besides, there are much worse ways I could be spending my time. The whole 'no dating' thing was total b.s. by the way. Apollo just wanted to get every pretty girl he could and keep them to himself. He would _never_ stop hitting on me."

I cracked a smile. "So if I were to start hitting on you…"

She slapped my shoulder. "Don't make it cringy, at least. Don't think I won't team up with Annabeth to pop that ego of yours."

I smiled dreamily, imagining my fingers tangled in the curly hair of both Annabeth and Rachel as they sucked me off. Rachel with her lips wrapped around my head and Annabeth attending my balls… _Come to think of it, maybe that isn't such a good idea. Not after last time… _

Clearly reading my expression, Rachel decided to give me a gut check with a balled fist, causing me to double over.

"You know," I wheezed, "I could _so_ make you pay for that."

Rachel feigned fear. "Oh. Well fortunately I know how to make it up to you."

She followed through by grabbing my face and pulling my lips into hers. She was definitely a skilled kisser, though I don't know where she learned it.

I moaned a bit into the kiss and rested my hands on her butt. To my surprise, it was actually quite soft and bubbly.

Never one to relent, she pulled me back until her back pressed against the wall. This was quite humorous, since she was quite a bit shorter than me, but I didn't care to be completely honest. Her lips were soft and talented, and her tongue tasted like a Caribbean fruit smoothie.

I gave her butt a nice squeeze, causing her to giggle into the kiss before pulling away.

"Well, lover boy, is that enough to make it up to you?"

"For now, you're lucky I already have plans elsewhere."

"Dang, Percy! Maybe I should try harder to land it with you."

"Is that an offer?"

"Not for a while. There's still some other things I want to finish first."

"So what, you just want to give me a kiss and leave me wanting more?"

"Pretty much, yeah. Have fun with your plans elsewhere."

She turned to leave and I took advantage by tackling her from behind and pinning her against the wall. She yelped in response, trying her best to glare at me. I turned her around and pressed my lips to hers once again. This time, my fingers twisted into her fiery curls, drawing a soft whimper from her.

I pulled away, giving my best smirk attempt. This was no first kiss for us, so I knew more than well enough what got a rise out of her. The evidence came in the form of the pouty glare she offered me, not so subtly eyeing my lips while biting her own.

Now free of my grasp, she let out a huff and marched away, taking extra care to sway her hips in a very un-Rachel like manner. I was half tempted to follow and ravage her to her heart's content, but I needed to be elsewhere.

* * *

Palírroia waited for me outside of the servants quarters. While the other nymphs had gone and selected rooms for themselves, Palírroia decided to take over all of the rooms in the servants quarters and convert it into a "public guest room." Basically, if everyone decided to stay up one night just to enjoy themselves, we could spend the night there rather than try and cram everyone into a single bedroom. Palírroia decided it would be in the best general interest to stay there to maintain upkeep. If you ask me though, I think she is just happy because she now has several rooms to herself.

"Well hello beautiful," I greeted Palírroia as I kissed her hand. "How have you been doing today?"

She slightly bowed her head and blushed immensely at my comment. "Hello, Master. I have been well. Do you require any services before we depart?"

I chuckled heartily and kissed her forehead, again resulting in her turning purple. "I only want your time and attention for the next few hours. In return, you will have mine."

With that, we took our leave of the villa and made our way through the forest towards the spring. Never one to like silence, I decided to chat with her to get to know her better.

"So, what's your story, Palírroia?"

With an inquisitive head tilt, she glanced towards me. "What do you mean, sir?"

"Tell me about yourself. Your past. Your interests. Your hobbies. Anything along those lines."

Her face took on a perplexed expression. "Um. I don't know what to say, Master. I'm afraid I have spent most of my life being raised to serve someone else. That person now being you."

Now I was concerned. "Are you serious? So you've never had time to yourself?"

She shook her head solemnly. "Only in the dungeons."

It dawned on me why she was so infatuated with how I treated Khione. She never knew kindness before and came to expect a tyrant after the way she was trained. The thought broke my heart for her. I would make sure I never go that far and make sure all of my nymphs were treated fairly.

I wanted to give her a hug, but as I moved to give her one, I wound up tripping over a rock on the ground. _Yep. Standard first date stuff._

"Oh my goodness! I am so sorry, Master! Please forgive me!"

Out of seemingly nowhere, Palírroia pulled out a length of chain and held it out to me with her head bowed. Her arms trembled, as though the metal were a writhing cobra.

I just stared back dumbfounded. "Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault that I fell. I just tripped is all." I stood up and she kept her head bowed.

"I let you come to harm. As such, I must be lashed. A means to make sure it never happens again. And it allows you to impress upon me the pain you feel."

My face went red and I ground my teeth together. _Was this seriously how this girl was trained? Was she honestly lashed with chains just for simple mistakes and things that weren't even her fault or responsibility? With how thick the chain was, one clean strike could kill her!_

I took hold of the chain in her hands and shifted the links between my fingers. Her shivering intensified as she turned around, giving me plenty of room to strike. _I am not about to give the gods that luxury._

Metallic clangs rang out as each chain link hit the gravel path, collapsing upon one another like a cobra biting its own tail. I swiftly wrapped my arms around Palírroia, and buried my face into the crook of her neck. She gasped out, clearly not expecting a bear hug from behind. Her trembling slowed and eventually stopped altogether as she leaned her head back onto mine, obviously relieved by the gentle touch.

"I am never going to hurt you," I mumbled into her neck.

Her breathing quickened. "Master, why must you be so kind to me?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and pulled my head away from her. "Why wouldn't I be? You've done nothing wrong. Should I be cruel for no reason?"

"Oh, no… Um, I mean…" She took a deep breath to regain her composure. "It is not that I don't appreciate you being kind to me. But… it is just I don't know how to react to this."

She turned around looked at my chin, causing me to sigh. "When you are talking to me, please look me in the eyes."

She shifted her eyes upwards, though they would dart away every few seconds. Her lips twitched slightly as I stared her down. Given her history with similar situations, I half expected her to tackle me.

When she didn't, I rested my hands on her shoulders. "If you don't know how to react to being treated kindly, then I'll have to keep doing it until you do." With that, I intertwined my arm with hers, and we made our way to the spring in peace.

* * *

The spring was just as she showed me the day before. The clear blue water bubbled gently and steamed against the cool evening air. The sky seemed to mirror this tranquility, as it was plastered a vibrant purple as the last few orange streaks of sunlight cast themselves across the sky.

I wasted no time making myself acquainted with the water. Within seconds, I was out of my shirt and buried chest deep in the bubbling water hole. With a quick glance, I realized Palírroia was still standing at the edge of the pool.

"Care to join me?"

She perked her head up. "May I?"

I gave her a quizzical look. "Of course. That's why I asked to have you down here."

"I… I apologize, Master. I am not used to events such as this." She stared down at her feet.

My gaze on her softened. "You mean you've never been on a date?"

She merely shook her head, still looking down, which made me smile slightly. It was kind of honoring to give this girl new experiences.

"Well. You can start your first one whenever you like. Feel free to join me if you want to. If you aren't comfortable with the idea, then you can go back. Don't worry about me getting mad about this or holding it against you."

Gears turned in her head, clicking into place before a light bulb went off. With her jaw set, she offered a startlingly determined glare; an unusual expression for most nymphs, unless they were scolding you for 'improperly watering' a tree (Juniper never forgave Conner for that incident). It was quite jarring to be honest. She stepped forward and let herself into the refreshingly hot waters of the spring. Just as I prepared to tell her not to waltz on in with her chiton still on, her dress dissipated into a cloud of mist as soon as she came into contact with the water, leaving her naked instantly.

Never before had I truly taken the time to appreciate the beauty of a sea nymph. Palírroia certainly set a high bar for what other nymphs could aspire to look like. She was petite, as all nymphs were, with many slightly elvish features, such as pointed ears and a slightly gaunt face, like she was starved. That thought worried me because I already was given a glimpse of the torture she endured. Despite her slim frame, she was still slightly curvy and built. Something told me she could probably fare well if she ended up in a brawl against most of the other girls.

I realized she was actually glowing blue as she moved her way towards me; her hair followed suit, though it came out several shades darker. Other than her eyes, her body took on an azure glow. Speaking of her eyes, they shone bright purple and glowed with a graceful radiance.

As she made her way over to me, I could help but almost feel a magnetic pull towards her. After a great deal of mentally warring with myself, I managed to regain control over my body and remain seated where I was.

She sat down next to me, pressing our shoulders against one another, making me realize her touch was quite refreshing. Despite our previous moments in the past, this still seemed new and exciting. It may have just been me empathizing with her, but I couldn't help but enjoy every second we were connected.

It didn't take long for me to realize the feeling was quite mutual. Within minutes, Palírroia went from simply brushing shoulders with me to leaning her head on my shoulder to eventually rubbing her fingers in small circles on my bicep. Despite what she was doing, she gave no indication to even realize that she was doing it. Her eyes rested shut, a blissful smile adorned her face as she sighed contentedly.

After a few more minutes, she stopped her motions and her lips took a slight downturn. She opened her eyes and looked towards me.

"Mas… um. I mean Percy. Is this really what dates are like? In the outside world I mean."

I tilted my head a bit. "For the most part. The only difference is on most dates, when the two people don't know each other that well, they usually talk more. But it isn't really that big of an issue with me. I'm just happy to see you smile the way you do."

Of course, she blushed once again, now radiating a purple glow with her initial blue glow. "If that is the case. These people who do know each other; what do they do?"

That actually required some thought. Annabeth and I were together for quite some time. I didn't have too much of my memory from when we were together, so I didn't know what to say in that regard. Most of our dates were really just us two being together during a quest. Sure they weren't ideal, but you take what you can get.

"Well, Palírroia, they spend their time simply enjoying each other's company. That can come in all forms. It can be intimate moments during a movie, loud and rushing moments at a carnival, or calm a blissful moments while taking a walk in a park. Kind of like this one. There's no real need to worry as long as you choose to live in the moment. The relaxing nature of just spending time with someone is all you really need to understand."

She pursed her lips and put on a look of deep thought. "So… The person you choose to marry. That person is the one you do this with most often?"

I pondered. "Ideally, yes. That's kind of the reason to marry them. They bring the best out of you and you enjoy being with them enough to spend your life with them."

"But… You have a total of four wives to choose? If you are truly interested in staying with one person, then why would you have to pick three more?"

I sighed. "Well… This is a bit of a different circumstance. I have to pick four wives because that's the only way they can actually be free of this place. Like Annabeth for example. She and I aren't exactly married right now, but because of the fact she holds the rank of 'mistress,' she is allowed to come and go as she pleases."

Palírroia had her head slightly tilted to the left as she listened, her eyes grew with every word. "You speak of this place like it is a prison. Is that how you view this place?"

I let out a huge breath. I wanted to talk to someone about this for a while now, though I never thought I would be doing it with a nymph.

"In all honesty, yes, I do. I can't just leave this place behind because I'd end up abandoning my friends and all of you nymphs as well. The gods knew I would never want to do that, so as long as I have my friends here, I am trapped just the same as them."

She looked down sullenly. "I am sorry to hear that, Master. I do see your point of view and I wish there was something I could do to help. Unfortunately, I know nothing beyond being a servant." She started sniffling and wiped her nose. This contrasted her look greatly. She literally glowed with power and radiated beauty, but she still felt hopelessly lost.

"You know," I said, "I haven't really had this type of down to earth conversation with almost anyone else. You are being more than a servant just by talking to me and listening. To be completely honest Palírroia, I'm actually now considering making you one of my wives. You could see the world. Wherever you want to go, whatever you want to do, it could be a reality. Would you like that?"

Unexpectedly, she actually broke down in tears. Her glow rippled as her sobs grew longer. Her face was buried in her hands. "You are too nice for this world, Master. But no. You cannot take a nymph as a wife. We are not simply bound to you. We are bound to this place. We cannot leave here or else we would fade from existence. If it were possible, I would love to take the position of being one of your wives. Of course… it would be selfish of me to do so. But the idea of being with you seems otherworldly. We are your servants. You could treat each and every one of us as a wife, but none of us nymphs could actually be given the powers of your wives."

By this point, she was bleary eyed. Her eyes were a faded violet rather than red and her glow was now much dimmer. The look of anguish on her face was worse than any kick to the gut I experienced. I held out my arms to her, and she almost immediately rushed into them. Her shivering breaths were barely audible in my ears. It didn't even faze me that she was naked.

I rubbed her back gently and kissed her head to calm her down. It worked after a few minutes. When her breathing was fully steadied, I knew something was about to happen because her glow shot straight back up almost instantly.

"Master? I would like to… show my appreciation for you… if I may."

I laughed inwardly. "I'm not going to stop you from doing something you want to do as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. What do you have in mind?"

She was now looking at me and blushing a deep purple. "I would like to have sex with you, Master, and give you pleasure."

I smiled gently and leaned my forehead against hers. One sharp breath later and our lips became inseparable. She moaned gently and purred with the kiss, submitting almost entirely to me.

I grasped the back of her head, causing her to gasp, and whirled her around so her back was up against the edge if the spring. I pressed myself ever so slightly more aggressively against her as she melted beneath me.

"Master," she moaned, "let me please you."

For once, I decided not to listen to the words of my partner. I wanted her to know there is more to life than servitude. I drove my lips against her neck, causing her to sharply gasp. Happy with her response, I continued working my way down, kissing her collarbone, nipping at her breast, gliding my tongue down her radiant belly, all while dragging my hands down her sides as I did so.

Upon reaching my destination, I licked my lips in anticipation for my next meal. Fear and realization struck Palírroia and she closed her legs entirely, and drove her hands into her lap.

"Master, please!" she begged. "You're the one who's supposed to be pleasured."

I gave her a slightly irritated look, but spoke softly enough not to scare her. "At this moment, your moans are the greatest pleasure to me."

Her vibrant purple eyes widened at my words. She blushed a deep purple and looked away. Her hands pulled away from her lap and her legs gingerly spread once more. With her slit now in sight, I wasted no time pressing my head under water and between her legs.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, grasping at the edges of spring. "Master, this is too much!"

I was only getting started. There was no way I was going to heed her words now. I continued my assault on her fragrant pussy, rubbing my nose against her clit as my tongue lapped away at her folds. My arms wrapped around her thighs to keep her steady as I attempted to press myself further.

Palírroia responded to my efforts by bucking her hips into my face, increasing the friction between us. In doing so, she moaned and cried out even louder from the stimulation.

I kept at this, using my tongue as best as I could in her folds and occasionally nipping at her clit to make her squirm beneath me. Despite her thrashing, she wrapped her legs around my head, refusing to let me go.

After a decent amount of time, I noticed an increase in how much Palírroia was humping my face. Her speed quickened until she was damn near riding my face like her life depended on it.

As I knew what was approaching, I doubled my efforts in her snatch to get her off more intensely. I was rewarded with a strangled scream as she tried to silence herself, and with a torrent of her juices flowing into the water, making the surrounding water take on a slightly saltier taste.

I emerged from the water to give Palírroia a breathy kiss. Despite her heaving, she managed to return some of the lip locking.

She actually managed to surprise me when she wrapped her arms around my back and flipped us around, so my back was once again against the spring's edge. After a bit of fumbling around under the water's surface, she managed to get my trunks completely off.

Initially, I was expecting that she would try to give me a blowjob. She surprised me however, when she began to straddle my very erect penis and slowly descended down it until it was completely buried inside of her. This earned a very well warranted groan from both of us. Her insides were incredibly warm and moist, like a sauna fitted for my dick.

She wasted little time as she began to gyrate her hips around and began bouncing on my cock at a rapid pace, leaving me curious as to whether she was trying to get me off quickly or reach another climax for herself.

I decided to go for the latter and buried my face into her breasts, lapping and nipping away, causing her to moan even louder than she was already.

"Does it feel good, Master?" she asked.

"This feels incredible!" I exclaimed. "What about you?"

" I wouldn't dare wish to be anywhere else right now. Please don't make me stop!"

Her begging was almost enough to push me over the edge by itself, but I kept my composure. She continued bouncing on me, splashing the water around quite a bit as she did so. The steam in the air seemed to get thicker as our movements became quicker. With a bit of a guttural growl, I wrapped my arms around her to hold her in place and began thrusting upwards into her.

With her control removed, she began crying out as she was overwhelmed with pleasure. She struggled to free her arms, but I was going to make sure she was the one who was satisfied.

"Please," she gasped, "Master, this is too much! It feels too… good!"

I refused to relent. She was beyond the point of moaning or screaming. As I continued ramming away at her insides, Palírroia simply dropped her head onto my shoulder and hyperventilated erratically. Her breath and voice were gone. She was as lost in the pleasure as I was.

I squeezed her closer to me as I tried to increase my speed; a feat which was only possible thanks to both the water and Palírroia's aura energizing me. I couldn't hear anything beyond the splashing of the water and a few sharp breaths permeating the cool evening. At this point, my sense of touch was the only highly active one. I could feel everything; from the soft trembling of Palírroia's body to the biting, sucking, and clawing she did all over me to the moist oven of her pussy caressing me as if inviting me to reach ever deeper inside of her.

There was a change of pace when her breathing began to increase violently. Her arms wrapped around my torso and clawed at my back. Palírroia even went as far as to roughly bite my shoulder as she let out her first set of groans for quite some time. Knowing exactly where she was headed, and thankful I was headed there too, I began increasing my thrusting rate to demonic speeds.

The stimulation was exactly what was needed as Palírroia let out a throaty scream into the night. If that wasn't enough, mere moments after she began to scream, she dissolved into a watery figure and plummeted into the spring. Having never experienced such an act, my composure lost entirely and I released myself into the bubbling water.

After a great many moments of heavy breathing and regaining my own composure, I tried to look for Palírroia in the water. I could still feel her presence, but that didn't make seeing her any easier with the heavy steam mixing with the cool air.

The only indicator of her presence was the vanishing of my whispy cloud of semen. Shortly after, Palírroia re emerged from the water, licking her lips, but still breathing heavily.

"Master," she panted, "I don't think I have ever felt anything like that."

I tried to laugh, but was too out of breath to do so. "I'm glad I could be of service."

She pouted. "But I'm supposed to serve you."

"Maybe next time. That is, if you want a next time."

Her eyes went wide. "Of course I want a next time!" she exclaimed. Her head took a slight downturn. "Just, not right now. Please. That was too intense. My insides still hurt."

That actually made me laugh. I moved over to her and hugged her close to me. After a few minutes, our breathing finally steadied and we were able to relax once more. I took a look around and realized just how dark it got. The night was still relatively young. Maybe eleven by my guess. Despite that, I was once again exhausted.

"I think it's about time for us to head back inside."

* * *

After our return trip, I accompanied Palírroia to her chambers and tucked her into bed. With a content sigh, she silently fell asleep.

I began my return to my room as I thought back to the events of the day. I had sex with two women in one day. A personal accomplishment, given the circumstances. Maybe this wasn't so bad. As long as these things moved along at a relatively natural pace, I could see myself working with this. That thought was slightly humorous considering my initial outlook to getting this place. Either way, I continued the trek to my room in silence.

Before I even opened the door to my room, I could hear some very feminine moaning from inside. I slowly opened the door, thankful it was new and not creaky. The sight before me, though, nearly made me drop dead on the spot.

Piper was laying at the head of the bed writhing in pleasure as a very naked Annabeth ate her out with a great deal of vigor. Even with as good as her ass looked sticking up and swaying back and forth, I was simply too worn out to try and join them. I took off my shirt, silently made my way over to the bed, and began crawling in. The new weight didn't go unnoticed by the two girls.

"Oh! Percy! Um, we were just—"

I silenced Piper with a deep kiss, causing her to softly moan as Annabeth decided to continue her previous licking.

I pulled back. "You guys enjoy yourselves. I'm beat for tonight. But just know that one day, we are going to repeat this with me involved."

I could only tell Piper was blushing due to her silence. Even Annabeth seemed to be taken aback by my remark, as she paused what she was doing. That didn't last long, as soon, Piper's moans once again rang throughout the room, following a shrill yelp. My last few moments of being awake were graced by Piper wrapping her arms around mine as she moaned into my side.

* * *

**A/N - Well that brings an end to another chapter. Hope you guys like what I do with the nymphs. Trust me, things get a little dark with them. ****Palírroia** **will have most of the spotlight, as she is the head nymph, but they all bring their own unique stories.**

**Speaking of stories, I'm nothing if not a listener. Given the fact that my last attempt to get some reader input turned out unsuccessful, I don't expect much to come out of this one. But, I've seen the requests for Artemis over and over again. Despite my efforts to remain subtle about it, I wasn't going to include her. I won't go announcing who the other goddess is, but I do want to give you the option. I could potentially add some slight changes towards the end of the story to allow Artemis to have a scene with Percy. Keep in mind that you will be waiting for several dozen chapters before we get to that point. Under no circumstances will I add her to the harem, but that doesn't mean I can't go giving her a similar situation as the other goddess.**

**Also, I know this now makes three consecutive chapters containing lemons. Consider this a down payment for the next few chapters. The plot needs to advance, and there won't be any full scenes for quite some time. Not to say I won't tease you guys along the way, but Percy won't be buried in anyone new for quite some time. Don't worry though, I'm sure that when the time comes, it'll be worth the wait.**

**As always, leave a review (and let me know what you think about me officially adding number 20 to the body count). This is Ronin signing off.**


	11. Good Morning or Not

Good Morning… or Not

I woke to quite possibly the best situation one could hope for. The bed was still plush and comfortable, and the sunlight shone gently through my windows, though these only aided the situation. The best part was that I found myself nestled between two gorgeous demigoddesses, both of whom were stark naked.

Piper was buried into my neck on my left. Her arms were wrapped loosely around mine and her body was lovingly pressed against me. My leg was being held prisoner by hers, as she had wrapped her leg around it. Her soft breathing warmed the side of my neck. If she hated physical contact, then I was a satyr.

I looked downward to see Annabeth's body lying to my right, her head resting on my chest. It raised and lowered with every breath I took. Her deep tan glowed in the sun, making her appear as golden as her curly locks. One of her palms rested on my abdomen, the other was curled in my hair. She took after Piper, wrapping one of her legs around mine. Needless to say, they didn't want me going anywhere, not that I planned to.

I kissed both girls' heads as I took in the view of them against me. Their bodies were fit and lean, though Piper definitely had a softer feel to her build. My hands rubbed both of them delicately. Please don't let this moment end. It was too good.

Maybe this was the harem talking, but I really was starting to crave these two girls. I could just imagine my morning meal of nursing on Annabeth's breast and washing it down with Piper's sweet juices. They both looked delicious to me, and I was getting hungry in the best and worst way.

Of course, the moment passed, but for the better in my opinion. Apparently, Piper had woken at some point and was craving something similar. I could feel her gently kissing and licking the side of my neck. Her nose rubbed me as her mouth opened a bit. She then took to nipping and biting at my neck before doing the same to my earlobe.

I decided to beat her at her own game. Thanks to the way she was holding my arm, I had no issues probing her nether regions. My fingers curled inside of her and began a soft swirling motion.

Her body hunched slightly in response and her breathing elevated. Soft whimpers escaped her lips as she resumed licking and biting my collarbone.

I kept up my motions, loving the reactions she gave me. She quickly came on my fingers, causing her to bite my shoulder hard to stifle her cries. No doubt, I would have a bruise.

I looked over to her. Her eyes shifted in color in the morning light and her face was beaded with sweat.

"Morning, beautiful," I whispered.

She kissed my shoulder. "Good morning, Master."

I chuckled inwardly. We _were_ technically under the covers, so I couldn't complain about her calling me Master.

Her morning smile was interrupted as she gasped out. Annabeth had woken up at some point and began squeezing Piper's breast.

"Well, hello Wise Girl."

"Morning," she mumbled.

Without even hesitating, Annabeth stretched herself across my torso and took Piper's breast into her mouth. Piper's lips parted as Annabeth gently suckled and nursed on her teat.

"Mmm. Percyyy," Piper groaned. "Make her stop…"

I chuckled. "Don't like it?"

She pouted. "No. It feels too good. And you already made me come."

I smiled at her response, but decided to give her what she wanted. My hand palmed one of Annabeth's firm buttocks and gave it a nice squeeze.

"Come on, babe," I said. "Give her a break."

Annabeth pulled off of her small feeding frenzy. I swear that I could see some small milk droplets on her chin, but maybe it was just my imagination.

"Ugh. Fine. Don't think I'm done with you yet though," she said to Piper. "It's your turn to please me when I get back. Speaking of which, what time is it?"

I looked outside to observe the sunlight.

"I would say seven or eight in the morning."

Annabeth sighed and pulled herself off of Piper. "Great. I'm starting my classes on Olympus today. Well, I've got to get ready."

With that, she crawled out of the bed and made her way to the bathroom. That left me and Piper in the bed. I rolled us both over so I was on top of her.

"So. Should we take advantage of our alone time?"

She gave me a very innocent look that could have crumbled the will of any titan. It should have been illegal for her to so easily bend others to her will with just one look. Her face moved close to mine until she was kissing my cheek and jawline.

"I'd love to. But you have other girls to tend to."

She finished by kissing my jugular and giggling in a very un-Piper like way. I raised my eyebrow, curious as to what caused that reaction.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"Just look in the mirror."

Curious, I pulled myself up and hauled us both out of the bed. Apparently, there was a mirror in the room that I had just never noticed before. I made my way over towards it and took a good look to see what exactly would make Piper giggle. To say I was shocked would put it lightly.

My body was a mosaic of bruises and markings all over. My shoulder was a dark purple and blue splotch with small lines tracing across it, no doubt from the biting of Piper and Palírroia. Hickeys trailed all over my torso and very clear scratches mapped my chest.

Piper came up to me from behind and wrapped her arms around me. Her head rested against my shoulder.

"You should turn around and get a better look."

I took her advice and did so.

_DI IMMORTALES! What happened to my back?!_ A mesh of bright red claw marks criss crossed along my back, making me look like a hellhound victim.

Piper rubbed my shoulders to comfort me. Of course, in that moment of panic, Annabeth walked out of the bathroom running a towel through her hair. _Damn, she takes quick showers._ She took one look at me and dropped the towel.

"Um. Percy? What happened to you?"

I nervously rubbed my hand on the back of my neck. Without even realizing it, my other hand clasped Piper's tightly.

"Umm," I started. "I think I got a little carried away yesterday…"

Annabeth gaped at the sorry state that my body was in before crossing her arms and glaring at me.

"That won't do! You go take a shower right now, Jackson. Piper, go give him a hand."

I hung my head and trudged to the bathroom, dragging Piper with me. As I passed Annabeth, she grabbed my chin and pulled me into a kiss. Despite her outburst, the kiss was gentle. Maybe she wasn't actually mad at me about this. She just wanted some bit of control. Whatever the case, she pulled away and smiled.

"I'll be back around dinner. You guys have a good day. And Percy… have fun."

With that, she made her way to the dresser and Piper and I continued our journey to the bathroom.

The door closed behind us both and I stripped out of my pants for a shower. Piper decided on the temperature. Apparently, she was in the mood for a chilly shower. I shivered in the water and pressed myself against her warm body.

"Cold?" she asked.

"A bit."

She laughed at my weak will, but pressed herself against me as she began shampooing her hair. I decided to follow suit.

The shower was mostly quiet. It was weird. If you had told me only a few days ago that I would be taking a shower with Piper, I would have laughed and probably punched you in the face for assuming I would leave Annabeth. Now, though, it seemed almost second nature to me. I almost believed that I had showered with her hundreds of times before.

Some time passed before Piper spoke up.

"Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you… are you scared of Annabeth?"

Her question caught me so off guard that I almost slipped and fell in the shower. I stared back in shock after regaining my balance.

"Huh?" I asked intelligently.

Piper sighed, "Well. It's just the way you seized up and grabbed me when Annabeth walked out. That and how yesterday morning, everyone called you out for… you know. I just couldn't help but wonder…"

I pondered that for a second.

"A bit," I admitted. "I mean, everyone in their right mind would be at least a little afraid of Annabeth."

Piper lathered her body up in soap, which was only slightly less distracting than imagining a classroom in their underwear (seriously, who thought that would help people speak publicly).

Unable to resist, I moved my hands forwards and began groping her breasts. I think I may have found one of my weaknesses.

Piper turned away and groaned. "Percyyy, stop. I'm trying to be serious here."

I grinned. "So am I. Serious about what I want to do to you."

She frowned and pushed me against the wall. "Hey! Snap out of it and listen to me!."

I felt her charmspeak roll over me, and my eyes cleared up. Within moments, I felt terrible for putting the moves on her.

"Sorry," I said. "Don't know what came over me."

Piper sighed, but gave me a gentle kiss. "It's alright. We can get to that later. But for right now, we need to talk about the whole Annabeth situation. You shouldn't be afraid of her."

I bowed my head a bit and blushed, not quite sure of what to say.

She continued. "Yes, she is an intimidating person, but you of all people should be the last to be afraid of her. You should be able to trust her."

"I do trust her," I retorted. "Time and time again, I have willingly placed my life in her hands. She has never let me down."

Piper huffed. "I know that, Percy. I'm sure she's done the same with you as well. You guys have a bond that no one here will _ever_ outclass. In life or death situations, you would never let one another down. I don't mean that kind of trust."

I cocked my head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that when there are no real stakes, that's when you're afraid of her. She pushes her boundaries to see how far she can go with you… Percy, I want you to be honest with me."

She looked towards me, making sure my attention held. I nodded for her to continue.

"Two nights ago," she said, "the night everyone just laughed off as being a typical night for you two. Did… did Annabeth rape you?"

Forget trying to keep my balance, the shower floor swept out from under me and sent me careening into the walls. Only with Piper's help did I remain standing.

"Wha… no… I mean… she couldn't… it's not how… uh…"

"Percy," she said softly, "did you ever tell her to stop? Were you ever afraid of her? At any point, did you feel scared for your own safety?"

My silence gave her all the answers she needed.

"Listen, I'm not going to tell you what to do. I won't go spreading this around. But you have to realize that there are people here who need you."

"I know. But I can still help them. Whatever it is, I can do it."

"I know you can. But you need to take some time to help yourself as well. I don't want to see you broken because of her."

My head fell. "I… I'm not broken…"

"Listen to yourself; you need to… no… I just said I won't tell you what to do. But, please… Whether the others are willing to admit it or not, we need our Percy Jackson."

My cheeks flushed and I looked away. _Damn, I was seriously getting called out… _

"At the very least, talk to her. It doesn't seem like her to behave like that. Maybe she's as lost as you. You shouldn't have to be afraid of her."

Piper put her hand on my cheek and turned me to face her.

"And if all else fails, if you honestly end up afraid of what Annabeth will do to you, don't hesitate to come to the rest of us. I may not be able to speak for everyone, but I know most of us wouldn't hesitate to stand up for you or at least be there to comfort you."

She leaned forward and whispered into my ear. "And if you ever need to… vent some frustration, _please_ do not hesitate to come see me."

With everything out in the air, she gave me a delicate kiss and pulled back.

I was left flabbergasted. Despite not having a great relationship prior to this, Piper really new how to give advice on them. A genuine smile painted its way across my face and I wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Thanks, Pipes. I'll… I'll try."

She sighed into my chest and mumbled a response, no idea as to what it was though. After that, she pulled her head away and gave me a mischievous smile.

"Now. Where were we?"

She grasped my now flaccid organ into her hands and began stroking it at a slow pace. Her position didn't give her much leverage to work with, so she pushed me against the wall and squatted in front of my hardening member. Her hands moved diligently as her pace quickened. Mere moments later, my full erection had sprouted and was ready for some fun.

"Okay. That's all for now."

Piper immediately let go of me and walked out of the shower. Did she seriously just try and blue ball me? She grabbed a towel and began drying herself, giving me a cheeky smile in the process.

"Why you little…"

I turned off the water and willed myself dry. I reached to grab Piper, but she danced out of the way. Now giggling, she ran out of the bathroom with me in pursuit.

Annabeth had apparently left, so that gave me all the room I needed to chase Piper down. She didn't get far. I managed to grab her shoulder and pin her against the wall, making her squeal. A small pink glow sparkled in her eyes as she stared up at me innocently. _Oh, no. Not this time._

I crashed my lips into hers, making her gasp out before relaxing into it. Her still soaked hair dripped down all over us, making this a very wet kiss. Before she could get too comfortable, I grabbed her sides and hauled her along with me before tossing her onto the bed.

She landed with an "umph" and looked around before her eyes fell back on me. Something tells me that I must have had a pretty intimidating look on my face, because her eyes looked a bit scared. At the same time though, she was biting her lips and had her fingers between her legs.

"You gonna be a good girl now?"

She responded by turning around and getting down on all fours. Her enticing rear shook invitingly. She turned her head over her shoulder and gave me a seductive glare. Her body was still damp and her hair was dripping all over the bed, but I honestly found that really hot.

"Yes, Master. I'll be a _very_ good girl."

I pounced from behind and took hold of her. I grabbed ahold of her throat and rubbed the head of my penis against her clit.

"Then tell me what you want me to do."

She pouted and grabbed my hand around her throat.

"Come on! Please, Percy. I'm already all worked up."

I pressed my body weight down on her, causing her to drop to her elbows. I leaned my head down and whispered into her ear.

"Be a good little girl and I'll give you exactly what you want."

She whimpered and whined, but finally relented. "I want you to plow me! I want you to fuck me so hard that I won't be able to walk! I want you to—"

Her words were interrupted when my door swung open, thoroughly startling us both. I dropped on top of Piper and she squirmed around, trying to find something to cover herself. Standing at the door, panting and out of breath, was the other oceanid. Thŷella, if I recalled correctly.

Unlike most sea nymphs, who had a greenish or bluish hue to their skin, her skin was a deep purple color, as though she were made of pressed orchid juice. Her hair was quite possibly the most unique I've ever seen. It glowed bright silver, giving her a semi divine aura that was unheard of with other nymphs. Shockingly, it was her eyes that were the most startling. I was almost worried that she was blind because her eyes were pure white orbs. No iris or pupil could be seen. She previously assured me that she could see, much to my relief.

"Could you knock?!" Piper shouted.

Thŷella paled at her comment and immediately started backing away from the door. I looked at Piper and shook my head.

"Take it easy. Otherwise I'm gonna make you service her on top of Annabeth."

Piper shrunk down, hid her head between her knees, and mumbled an apology.

I looked towards the nymph. She looked torn, ready and wanting to run for all she was worth, but still seemed worried about other things as well.

"It's okay," I said. "What's going on?"

Thŷella still looked tense, but her shoulders relaxed a bit.

"My apologies. But it's Nimba. She was attacked by Khione…"

The words hung in the air for a good while. Nobody dared to utter a sound. I turned to Piper. With her jaw set firmly, she nodded to me.

I turned to Thŷella and looked her straight in her white eyes.

"Take us to her."

* * *

Piper and I wasted little time dressing ourselves. She ended up wearing one of Annabeth's shirts and a pair of sweatpants. Her hair was still damp, but there were more pressing matters.

For myself? Well, I settled on a blue tee shirt and some cargo shorts. I needed to use a belt for them, since these were given to me by Tyson. Great brother, but he cannot figure out sizes just by looking at people.

Thŷella rushed down the hallways with both of us in tow. I just couldn't catch a break, could I? Almost everything that I do ends up getting cut short or put off.

Not even a minute after leaving, we arrived to a room that Thŷella opened for us. Piper and I hurried inside and took in the scene before us.

Palírroia was kneeling at the bedside, pressing a warm cloth against Nimba's forehead. She looked guilty. Her shoulders were slumped and her lips trembled. With one look, I could see her eyes looked heavy.

I then took a look at the nebulus. Her once pale body was nearly bleached white entirely. Her trembling lips were a dark blue and she was coated in a thin layer of sweat.

I pressed my fingers to her cheek and recoiled immediately. Her skin was nearly frozen solid. Small shivers passed through her body and her breathing was ragged, but she was otherwise perfectly still.

I turned to Palírroia. "How did this happen?"

She bowed her head.

"It— it is my fault," she began to cry. "I normally go down to feed Khione every morning. This time however, I… I was still sore from last night. I requested for another to feed her, but I forgot to warn the others about her tendency to lash out…"

Her sobbing was becoming horrible. The poor girl's body was shivering worse than Nimba's.

She continued. "Nimba was more than willing to help. She is the youngest of us and wished to prove herself. Plus it was her day to visit you. She wanted to make you proud. Apparently, Khione had been saving her strength, because when we found her, Nimba was on the ground, surrounded by snow."

A familiar chain appeared in Palírroia's hands.

"Please… do what you must, Master. It is my fault that Nimba was hurt. I deserve this."

I immediately clasped my hands over hers. There was no way in Hades that I was going to hurt her for this.

"Look at me," I said.

The sea nymph glanced upward, looking at me as though I were a tiger. I rested my hand on her shoulder.

"I told you. I will _not_ hurt you. You said Khione has acted like this before?"

She nodded glumly.

I turned to Piper. Her hands were balled and shaking. As much as I tried to prevent this from happening, there was no denying it. Khione had to be put in her place. I took one last look at Nimba. Her frail body looked ready to give in any minute now.

"Keep watch over Nimba," I said. "I think it's about time Piper and I gave our snow goddess a little visit."

* * *

**A/N - Uh, oh. The plot thickens. I'm not sure if I should put a warning for the next chapter or not, but there is definitely going to be some NSFW content. So if you're under the age of 18, and you still choose to read this, don't go tattling on me. You chose your fate.**

**Either way, that's the chapter guys. Maybe with Percy now having the rape addressed (I told you that scene wasn't for nothing), he might start to take a little bit more control over his life rather than letting other people control him. Hope you guys enjoyed the little threesome teaser as well, but don't expect something like that for a good long while. Percy still has a lot of one on one action to get through before he starts taking multiple partners at once.**

**So... I guess I won't be including Artemis? Seriously guys, since last chapter, there were a grand total of two reviews, both saying not to do if I don't have to (still, love you guys that leave long reviews. You are my motivation). So for now, it looks like Artemis isn't going to show. Seriously, I got over nine hundred visitors these past three days but only two reviews? Come on.**

**Speaking of, woohoo! We broke one hundred follows! I honestly wasn't expecting this well of a reception after only a few days of posting this. Maybe after a few months, but nothing this quick. I really do appreciate knowing that there are people who enjoy reading what I put out there. **

**All in all, I look forward to our future together everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and what it had to offer. As always, leave a review (come on guys, it only has to be a couple of words). This is Ronin signing off.**


	12. I May Have Been a Little Upset

**A/N - WARNING! You know it's bad when I throw an author's note at the top. For those that do not want to read about Percy attacking Khione, turn back now! I really don't want to keep playing damage control after the last controversial chapter. So please, if your comment is only going to be "That was too much" or "WTF dude, why would you write that?" then please just skip this chapter. It will be the last time any violent act is perpetrated by any of our main protagonists, so you won't have to worry about this happening again.**

* * *

I May Have Been a Little Upset

Palírroia handed the keys to me and, with a more than miffed Piper following, I stormed down to the dungeons to face Khione. During the trip, we crossed paths with Hazel, who took one look at me and bolted back down the corridor. I'd definitely go and check on her later, but for now, I had much more pressing issues.

Piper and I made our way downstairs and passed through the heavy metal doorway of the dungeon, too steamed to even shut it like a decent person. It was just as I remembered it. Cobbled stone walls and a cold stone floor with faint lights emanating from the bits of coral.

The only difference was now a small carpet of snow coated the floor in front of the middle cell. Its inhabitant rested exactly where I first found her, chained up crucifiction style against the wall. She would definitely be praying for mercy after I finished with her.

I unlocked the cell door and marched straight up to the snow goddess. She slept, her eyes closed and her breathing slow. _Let's change that._

I called on the moisture of the room, be it floating through the air or clinging to the cobblestones, pulling it together until a mass of water, no greater in size than a basketball, floated before me. With a wave of my hand, the ball dispersed, forming a small sheet, and enveloped Khione's body. My fist closed, constricting the water around her, increasing the pressure to near inhuman levels. The shackles around her wrists unlocked, yet her body remained pinned to the wall.

This was more than enough to stir the goddess from her sleep as she grunted from the contact and her eyes shot wide open. The pressure prevented her from moving, but the pain visibly shone in her eyes. Such a crime would not go unpunished, and its severity called for drastic measures. She was a goddess after all, so I didn't need to be gentle.

"So," I said, trying to keep my voice level, "I give you a chance to get out of here. I tried to be nice. I wanted you out of this dungeon as much as you did."

My watery grip on her tightened, squeezing every part of her body.

Her icy blue eyes glared daggers at me. Her face turned a shade darker as her blood flow and airflow slowed to a crawl. Despite her effort to look angry, I could see the fear in her eyes. She knew she fucked up. Now she was going to pay for it.

I continued. "Despite all of my effort to help you… you… you go and attack one of my handmaidens." I laughed a bit. The nerve of this woman left me perplexed. I couldn't help but almost enjoy just how much she looked like a cornered rabbit.

Khione made efforts to escape from the water, its pressure near enough to make her implode. The strain evident, she managed enough to slightly turn her head. In her thrashing, her eyes left me and settled on the one other person in the room, Piper. Her eyes widened and she audibly choked in absolute horror.

"Oh, don't mind her for now," I said. "She'll get to you in a bit."

With that said, I grabbed Khione's arm and pivoted her across the cell, successfully slamming her thin body against the bars.

The pale goddess cried out and struggled to breathe, but I wasn't going to let her rest. I immediately came up behind her and yanked her up by her hair. She gasped out and reached for the bars, trying to pull herself out of my grip.

_If she wanted to be with the bars, she should have just asked me._ I gave her exactly what she wanted by thrusting her head forward, slamming her face first into the bars. She audibly screamed and cried out. I pulled her head back and stared down at the golden ichor streaming down her face.

The goddess finally decided to speak.

"I— I'm sorry," she gagged out.

I twisted her around and tossed her into a corner of the cell. She landed with a _CLANG_ and looked up at me. I prowled up to her and knelt down. My face moved forward and settled right next to her ear.

Her body trembled and eyes widened at my next words. Their implication clear to anyone.

"Oh, no you're not," I whispered. "Not yet."

No one. _No one_ messes with my friends. I may not have known the nymphs too well, but I still considered them as such. I couldn't really tell you what happened. Any semblance of self control were thrown out the window as I vented my wrath upon her. Khione's screams and pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears. By the end of it, my arms were too sore to lift, and bruises and ichor coated her body.

_Did I really do that? How?_ I looked down at my knuckles and found the answer. They were all dark purple, with flecks of golden ichor staining them.

The snow goddess grasped one of the bars in her little corner. She shivered and wept silent tears. Her nose bubbled ichor as she hyperventilated. Her left eye swelled shut.

I pulled away from the cell and looked to Piper. An odd mix of glee and horror adorned her face, like a madman who made their first kill. I unbuckled my belt and slid it out of the loops of my shorts. With a shaky hand, I lent it to Piper.

"Help yourself," I said.

She gingerly took hold of the belt and thumbed it over with a torn expression on her face. She looked down at the device and rubbed the leather all the way down to the buckle. Her jaw set and a brooding malice took hold of her as she made her way towards the helpless goddess.

_THWACK!_

_My knuckles really hurt after that. I hope they heal after a good dip in a bath._

_THWACK!_

_Crap. Now, I've got to hold up my shorts on my own. Hindsight really sucks._

_THWACK!_

_I wonder how Nimba is doing. I'll definitely have to check on her when we finish here._

_THWACK!_

_Speaking of checking up, I should also go by Hazel's to make sure Piper and I didn't scare her._

_THWACK!_

_There's still so much to plan and take care of for the other girls. Still got to go shopping._

_THWACK!_

_Hmm. I wonder what we'll have for dinner._

_THWACK!_

My thought train continued like this for a good long while. Piper held nothing back. The writhing goddess sobbed and screamed until her voice was raw. The worn leather on my belt snapped and cracked with every strike. At some point, Piper decided to reverse her grip on the belt, using the buckle as her main weapon.

Only when a tangible phrase came from Khione's mouth did I step in.

"Leave it to Percy's dollar whore to carry out her master's bidding," she choked. Ichor sprayed from her mouth with nearly every word, coating the stone floor with the shiny substance.

When her words reached my ears, I immediately marched right back into the cell. I raised my arm to strike again.

Before I could land a blow, Piper grabbed my arm to stop me. Bewildered, I looked down to her.

"I've got an idea," she whispered. "Just let it happen."

With her troubling words said, she turned back to Khione and laughed.

"Dollar whore?"

She knelt down and wrapped the belt around Khione's neck, tightening it as far as it would go.

"Oh, honey," she said sweetly. "I'd do this for free."

With that, she looped the belt around one of the bars and yanked it. The leather strip worked like a pulley and forced Khione to slam into the bars, choking her simultaneously.

With her audience where she wanted, Piper grabbed my arm and pulled me right next to Khione. Her free hand had my cargo shorts at my ankles in no time since my belt wasn't exactly available.

"Let's see just how much of a 'dollar whore' I am. And you _will_ watch this. If you don't, this will get much worse for you." Piper's voice was startling on so many levels. Charmspeak washed over us both. Rage and lust simultaneously wove their way into her words.

Khione whimpered. "But I can't see out of this eye! It's not my fault I'm now half blind!"

I internally winced at her words. It was _my_ fault she couldn't see.

Piper didn't share my sympathy. "Well you better crane your neck and turn your head. Otherwise, this will only be the beginning."

Following her words, Piper violently plunged her head down on my growing erection. Her mouth seemed to be improving in skill. Her tongue viciously circled around my head and ran along my shaft. She moaned out as she blew me, her free hand now plunging into her sweatpants.

I couldn't help but groan. My hands wrapped around the bars of the cell, gripping them tightly as I tried to keep myself standing. _Where on Olympus did Piper suddenly become this skilled? Did her time with Annabeth have more to it than I thought?_

Khione did her best to look at us, but the angle prevented her from getting far. The belt around her neck made it nearly impossible to maintain, so she often fell back against the bars. Each time she did, Piper would yank on the belt, strangling Khione and forcing her to try and look at us once again.

Piper bobbed fervently. Never before did she put in this much energy. She was passionate before. Despite the familiar passion, it seemed more like Piper was trying to make a point.

Her fingers left her sweatpants and grasped my balls. While her fingers may have been dripping, her grip was far from soothing. The soft hands now shuffled around my balls like dice. Her grip tightened.

As much as it shames me to say it, this really turned me on. This wild side of Piper was a whole new breed of crazy and it was extremely hot. Her gagging and hot mouth were already pleasurable. But now she had to add extra tension by playing with my balls and gently biting the tip of my aching erection.

"Nnngg, Piper. Fuck!"

That was probably to most coherent thing I could muster. Her bobbing speed increased and soon her hand left my balls and began trying to stroke my shaft whenever her mouth left it.

Khione still struggled. Her good eye streamed tears and her lips were streaming ichor. It wouldn't have surprised me if she was paralyzed as a result of the belt around her neck. As much as she struggled, she would occasionally slip up and Piper would yank the chain, choking the goddess yet again.

I could feel the pressure in my scrotum building. Apparently, so could Piper. She pulled off of me and stared me in the eyes. The pink glow in her eyes looked angry. _How were her eyes even turning that color? There wasn't much light in here._ Her hand resumed pumping my length at an increasingly rapid pace.

"Do it," she said. "Blow your load into my little mouth and show our captive how much of a slut I really am!"

_What the hell Piper!? Where did this come from?_ I couldn't take it. The build up was just too much and Piper's charmspeak layden voice became more than I could handle. I grabbed the back of her head and forced her onto my throbbing rod. She sucked as hard as she could before I finally let loose.

"FUCK!"

My orgasm crashed in a near painful manner. Piper took it all like a champ and held herself in place. Rope after rope of cum spilled into her mouth and not a drop left her lips. My hips spasmed as she held me up. My knuckles turned white from grasping her hair.

I collapsed as the moment passed, panting as though I just ran a marathon. Piper though, wasn't done. She shifted over to Khione and yanked on the belt, making the goddess choke. Piper took advantage of the situation and threw her mouth onto Khione's, spilling my cum into her mouth.

The goddess choked and spluttered as the substance passed her bleeding lips. Piper didn't move though and stayed in place until Khione thoroughly swallowed it all. Once she completed the deed, Piper pulled away and took my arm. Her lips were stained in my cum and Khione's ichor.

She hauled me up and licked her lips before swallowing everything she took in. One look later and the pink in her eyes faded, returning to their normal kaleidoscope selves. She leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

"You know," she whispered into my ear, "I wouldn't be opposed to trying this in reverse. Maybe you could take me aggressively some day. Preferably with a more… innocent audience then our snow goddess here."

I gave her a stunned look and she simply shrugged with a sheepish smile on her face. She then reached down and undid Khione's makeshift leash. She handed it to me and I set it back to holding my shorts up. I took her hand to lead her out of the cell, but she pulled away.

"Oh, I'm not done with her yet. She didn't keep looking, so I have some more work to do."

My shoulders sagged. "Piper, we—"

"I already gave her the warning. Plus, you only got to see a small portion of what she's done. We have some more history between us that we need to… discuss."

I could see the malice in her eyes. There was no winning this battle.

I sighed. "Don't be too rough."

She gave me a cheeky smile. "Of course not. Now get out of here. We need to have some girl talk."

I walked out without any further arguments and closed the dungeon door behind me. My last image of Piper was of her advancing on the collapsed goddess with her dagger in hand.

As the door finally thummed shut, I took in the events of the past hour. I attacked and abused someone. Regardless of why, I told myself I would be better. Yet here I was, not only torturing and assaulting another, but allowing her nemesis to have free reign on her without me keeping her in check.

My back hit the wall and I slid down it. My head fell to my hands as I sobbed pitifully. _I did this. I am becoming someone I'm not._

A gentle hand wrapped around mine. I looked up to see Calypso, her comforting smile broken with teary eyes. It didn't take a genius to know she saw me. She saw what I did.

She wrapped her arm around me and brushed my knuckles with her thumb. Her touch was soothing, though it didn't help the throbbing in my hands nor the guilt pressing itself on me.

I leaned into her shoulder and silently shed a few tears. She rubbed my head and whispered comforting words into my ear.

"It's okay, Percy," she said. "Don't be afraid."

My hands trembled under her touch. This was no matter of me simply acting out of line. I took all of my morals and threw them in a woodchipper.

Slowly, but surely, her calm words manage to stop my crying. With all that passed, I knew Piper needed to be stopped. I knew I needed to rush back into the dungeon and prevent her from harming Khione further. As I worked my body to do so, a seemingly unearthly weight dragged me back to the floor.

_She deserves this, _a voice whispered. _Let her suffer. Let her scream._

For all of my willpower, I was hopelessly outmatched as the voices needled into my brain, preventing any and all actions to help the snow goddess. No doubt this very same voice prevented Calypso from standing in.

I looked up at Calypso and met her warm gaze. Her almond eyes and timeless features beguiled me as they had before, but it was her soothing smile that drew me in. Her natural beauty was nothing if not perfection. I don't care what Aphrodite has to say about it, but I found several people, even her own daughters, more beautiful than her.

"Your actions were no fault of your own, Percy," Calypso said.

My head slumped. "That doesn't make what I did right. I assaulted her. I attacked her and there she couldn't do anything to protect herself."

She lifted my chin to face her. "Percy. Take it from the word of a sorceress. I don't know how, but you were not in control."

My eyes widened. "What?"

She brushed my cheek with the palm of her hand. "I could sense some power at work. Unfortunately, I have been away for so long, I couldn't tell you whose it was."

_Great. So not only was I putting on a show for the Olympians, but now I was a puppet for some higher power as well._ This left me feeling great if you couldn't tell.

With a labored sigh, I pulled myself up. "Still. I'm sorry you saw that."

She gave me a small smile. "No worries. It was… well, terrifying. I am happy no one else saw it. I wouldn't know how the others would react to this."

I shuddered at the prospect. _If they saw that… _

"Well," I said, "let's be thankful they didn't. By the way. What brought you down here?"

She gave a shy smile. "Well, I came to ask if I could be given some more clothes. I heard you were heading down here, so I followed."

_Great job, Percy. You completely forgot to actually get clothes for Calypso._ _Come to think of it, the Hunters were likely struggling as well. When I last saw Zoë, she was wearing… a chiton? Hmm, were the nymphs supplying them?_

"I have absolutely no problem with that. We might still be able to go to Ogygia, since it's kind of like this island."

Calypso bowed her head and fumbled her hands around. "Umm. Actually. I'd prefer if we didn't."

I wasn't quite sure what to make of this. "Why?"

"Well," she said. "I want to look at this as a way of moving forward and leaving my old life behind. Normally I would just weave my own clothes and be done with it. I still could too, but…"

"... But?"

"But I hoped I could use this as an opportunity… to see the world you lived in…"

I laughed at the premise. "You mean New York? Trust me, there isn't much there to please the eye."

"I know. I know. You told me it is a place where nothing can grow. But, I would still like to see what new things have come about the world."

I brought my hand up to my chin. "Hmm. I don't see any issues with that. I could definitely take you to get some more clothes…"

I could see the glow in her eyes getting brighter. Her feet were shuffling and her hands were wringing themselves.

"Okay," I said, "I'll do it. Just let me take care of some things real quick and I'll meet you at the front."

Calypso squealed in delight at the news. She lunged at me and wrapped her arms tightly around me before kissing my cheek.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

With that, she bounded down the hall and up the stairs, whooping to herself the whole way.

I gave a small smile and shook my head. _She is going to be disappointed with New York. Going from a green forest to a grey one wasn't as nice as some made it out to be_. With that thought out of the way, I followed Calypso's trail up the stairs, but made one slight change. I needed to go check on a certain daughter of Pluto.

* * *

**A/N - Yes, I know. This update is coming in later than usual. There are two major reasons for that, and they both go together. First off, I rewrote this chapter several times. Not because I wasn't happy with it, but because I wanted to get the message across without getting me ousted by my readers. Because of that, you can imagine what the second reason was. I was reluctant to update and post this chapter. After the damage control I found myself carrying out after the chapter with Annabeth, I really didn't know how you guys would react. I guess I still don't for now. But you deserve the update.**

**This is the very last chapter in which any of the main protagonists act violently. This being said, there is one other instance later on where Percy _almost_ acts on a violent urge, but he doesn't follow through. You'll have to wait for a while before that point though. This chapter is arguably the most important, as it catalyzes several plots. I honestly wasn't going to include the bit with Calypso at the end, and just save it for the next chapter. But after the Annabeth scene, I decided to include it just to cover my butt. Maybe this will give you a clue as to why people are acting out of character. Of course, the others (especially Percy) isn't going to put those facts together for quite some time. More drama is to come.**

**Just a quick response to a certain comment. There is a reason certain people haven't been seen. Don't you think that perhaps the lack of characters being around could serve as character behavior in its own right, given the circumstances (do you honestly think the Hunters will hang around everyone else, especially if they are in this predicament)? The Hunters and Selina will get their spotlight, and Percy will end up acknowledging that he's just overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people for the time being. Trust me, later on, Percy will eventually be having sex in almost every chapter. But we have a long way to go before then.**

**Go ahead and keep the Artemis votes coming in (seriously, did I have to call you guys out like that just to get some replies?). The next few chapters will lack any sort of sex, but you know I'm always a fan of teasing the audience. Even eleven chapters in, there are still plenty of necessities to clear away.**

**As always, leave a review. This is Ronin signing off.**


	13. Aftermath

Aftermath

The trip to Hazel's room was quiet. No one strolled the hallways. No one yelled at me for what I had just done. Why couldn't someone just hit me? It would have made me feel better than this silence. Apparently I didn't deserve the luxury of having someone smack some sense into me.

When I finally reached Hazel's room, I took a moment to compose myself. I probably should have done a quick check in the mirror, but I didn't really think too far ahead. One deep breath later and I knocked on the door. My knuckles ached and throbbed from doing so, making me clasp them in my other hand.

"Come in," Hazel's voice called out.

I gingerly opened the door and took a look around. Evidence suggested that Hazel had a rough few days. Her bed was a mess and small piles of gems were strewn about the floor. The owner of the room was sitting in a bean bag with a book in hand. She took one look at me and whipped her head back into her book. A few more gems popped up through the floor, cracking the tile beneath her.

It wouldn't have surprised me if her book was a cooking manual on how to make a Percy soufflé. It would be more than I deserved given how much I had ignored her these past few days.

I walked up to her and took a seat on one of bean bags next to her. Her frizzy hair and dark skin drastically stood out in the otherwise pale and bland room. The sunlight shone just enough that if she had positioned herself just right, her golden eyes would have reflected them better than Superman could ever pull off.

"How are you holding up?" I asked.

She looked up from her book. It _was _a cookbook of some sort, though I couldn't tell you where she got it. I guess the nymphs had to stay in practice.

"I'm doing alright," she said. "Could be better, but… you know…"

I nodded solemnly. She should have been with Frank. By all rights, she deserved to be with her… well now ex boyfriend. _Ugh. Dammit Olympians! Why did you have to ruin everyone's lives with this?_

"Yeah. I get what you mean… How do you feel about," I gestured to the room with no particular specific in mind. "... all of this?"

The young girl sighed and put her book down on the coffee table in front of us. She then leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. I took notice that there were more diamonds at her feet than there were before.

"I actually thought this was kind of funny. Absolutely terrifying, but funny."

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay… please explain."

Her gaze fell back to me. "I was raised by nuns. You can't get any more conservative than that. Then later down the road, I finally meet you. When I first saw you, I thought you were a god in disguise. Now here I am, eternally bound to serve you like one. I don't know. I just thought it was funny."

She certainly had a weird way of looking at things.

"So," she continued, "I take it that you're here about earlier. Me running away and all."

"Yeah," I said. "I wanted to make sure Piper and I didn't scare you."

A pained expression worked its way onto her face. "I was a bit. What was that about anyways? You both looked ready to kill someone. Last time I saw that look on your face, you collapsed a glacier."

I wrung my hands together. "I'd rather not discuss it. Not now at least."

She took notice of my action and saw the bruises on my knuckles.

"I see," she said at last.

I knew I owed her an explanation. I just couldn't bring myself to discuss it quite yet. Not with her at least. Imagine telling your little sister you just attacked a helpless woman. That's pretty much what it felt like.

I decided to change the subject to something that, for some reason, I found more comfortable than our previous topic.

"What are your thoughts on… you know… what's going to happen between us?"

The poor girl looked flustered. She began fanning her face with her hand.

"I don't know what to think. Words would best describe me as anxious, but even then, I don't think that quite captures it."

I nodded. "I understand. I'm sorry about Frank as well."

She looked away with that comment. I could see this was still very much a sore subject. Tears began to well up in her eyes. _Good job, Percy. You've been doing a _great _job at keeping everyone happy_.

Not one to take this sitting down, I moved over to Hazel and gave her a hug. Her curly hair smelled of citrus.

I pulled back and sat on the edge of the coffee table, next to the cookbook.

"How have things been between you and Reyna?" I asked.

Her hands curled slightly at the mention of her former praetor.

"They've been a bit tense," she said.

My shoulders sagged. "She should have made you her replacement."

Hazel shook her head, making her mane of hair do a perfect impression of a lion.

"No. Frank is still very new to the legion. A praetor with as little experience as him would definitely need help. I wouldn't be of much use since we both started at roughly the same time. Dakota was the best choice in my opinion."

I laughed inwardly. "So it all comes down to the legion…"

She gave me a slight glare. "I don't hold her choice against her. I just don't think she's quite forgiven herself for it. Neither of us were expecting this turn of events."

I put my hands up in surrender. "Okay. Okay. Just thinking out loud is all. You doing okay though?"

She didn't nod or shake her head. "Better than I was. I still don't think I'm quite ready to go… the extra step just yet."

I put my hands back down. "Well that works out for both of us. I wasn't planning on going down that route anyways."

I stood up and rubbed the top of Hazel's head. "I'd love to hang around, but there are a few other things that I have to do. You should go see Reyna. I'm sure she could use someone to talk to."

I inwardly hoped that Reyna was feeling better after our little incident a few nights ago. I had left her alone, but I was beginning to wonder if that was a bad idea. If she was taking this similarly to Hazel…

"Okay," she said. "Go do your 'master' stuff."

With that, I walked out of Hazel's room and headed to yet another. This next trip was arguably more important, considering the health of one of the parties involved.

Before long, I had found myself back in Nimba's room. At this point, the cloud nymph was coated in a dark waxy substance. Palirroia and Coral were at her bedside, stroking her hair tenderly.

"How is she holding up?" I asked.

Palirroia turned to me. "She is somewhat stabilizing. We gave her a molasses coating to help with frostbite, but there is only so much we can do…"

I nodded forlornly. "You guys have done your best. Thank you."

Palirroia picked her head up. "How did things go with Khione? Was she dealt with?"

I wrung my hands together. "Yeah. She's been dealt with…"

_Still_ being dealt with technically, but I wasn't about to bring that up.

Palirroia nodded, but happened to catch a look at my hands. Her eyes widened and she quickly turned to Thŷella and whispered something into her ear. Thŷella nodded and Palírroia stood up. She then grabbed ahold of me before hauling me out of the room.

The door shut behind us and Palírroia immediately held me against the wall before grabbing my hands and pulling them up into view. She gently rubbed her thumb over my knuckles and looked up at me.

"Was this because of her?" She asked.

I shook my head solemnly. Talk about an unintentional guilt trip. "No… It was because of me."

Her eyes widened and shone with a new fear. She took another look at my purple knuckles before wrapping her hands around mine.

"Oftentimes, our trainers would have hands like this. More often than not, the nymph that caused it didn't come back. Those that did… well… they weren't the same."

_Just stab me already! Man, the last thing I needed was to be told how abusive I was…_

"However," she continued, "I know you are kind. I cannot fathom what drove you to this, but I believe it was justified. She will heal in time. You, however, will need some help."

_I need professional help,_ I thought.

She kept hold of my arm and pulled me down the hallway. Remind me again why I always assumed that all nymphs were delicate little spirits. This girl was hauling me along better than Tyson ever could.

Moments later, we arrived to the small spa. It looked much like a barber shop, with some additions. A row of rotating chairs lined each wall with a counter and mirror in front of each. Small basins sat before each one, perfect for dipping your feet in.

"Um. I appreciate the gesture, but I don't think this is the time for a manicure."

Palirroia didn't relent and pulled me into the room.

"This isn't a fashion trip," she said. "It's a medical one."

She sat me down in one of the chairs before rummaging through one of the cabinets. She shuffled around inside for a while and finally found what she was looking for; a vial about half a foot tall with a thick aqua colored liquid inside of it. Small beads of some sort floated inside the container, but I didn't get much time to admire it.

Palirroia returned to me and opened the vial. She poured out some of the substance before rubbing it in her hands.

"Hands please," she said.

I held my hands in front of her and she lathered the substance into my skin. It was wickedly cold at first, causing my hands to shiver. I didn't like the parallel to Khione's chill, but I wasn't exactly about to complain with Palírroia. She was gentle, but firm, and rubbed my knuckles down and massaged them delicately. A few moments later, the chill passed and a warm feeling stirred in my hands. I looked down to see that the bruises had completely vanished. My hands returned to their natural peach color.

"Were you not a kind master, I do not believe that I would have done this," Palírroia said. "But you have shown me kindness and demonstrated that you care for us nymphs. This potion will relax your hands and mend your wounds, but it is no cure all. Bruises and burns are what it works best on. If you keep up your behavior, I can promise you that we nymphs can make your time here much more pleasurable."

I flexed my fingers slowly. Not a fraction of pain resulted. I turned to Palirroia with my mouth hanging open a bit.

I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was the emotions from the past few hours finally letting loose. Maybe I was just very thankful that she had helped me. Maybe I was secretly excited about the meaning of her words.

Whatever it was, it let loose and I rushed forwards, pulling Palírroia into the chair, kissing her the whole time. She yelped in surprise, but melted into the kiss quickly. Her breathing quickened and she grasped the sides of my face, smearing the potion into my cheeks.

She straddled my lap and moaned into the kiss. My arms had wrapped around her waist. Her tongue delicately begged for entry and I happily obliged.

A few minutes passed before she pulled away, breathless. She panted slightly, her mouth parted. Her eyes had a lustful glare in them, but she blinked it away and climbed out of the chair.

"As much as I would love to continue, I must tend to Nimba. Thŷella is a caring person, but she is not very good at healing others."

I gave her a friendly smile and nodded. She turned around and ran down the corridor to oversee Nimba's healing process.

I sighed contentedly and pulled myself out of the chair. I took one look in the mirror and decided to make one last stop before meeting with Calypso.

A few minutes later, I found my way to my room. It was empty, as would be expected. The only evidence of life were the bed sheets and blankets, tousled from this morning's activities. I smiled longingly at the thought. We were _so close._

Putting that thought aside, I walked over to my dresser and pulled out a fresher set of clothes. Given that this would be Calypso's first time seeing the world for several thousand years, I thought I should at least be presentable.

By the time I finished, I had put on a fresh black tee shirt with a blue and white checkered button up on top of it. The cargo shorts had to go, so I pulled on a semi worn pair of jeans. For good measure, I threw on my Camp Half-Blood necklace and sprayed on some cologne. I patted my pocket, taking comfort in the familiar sense of having Riptide with me.

I took a look in the mirror and fixed my hair. Special care was put in removing the lipstick from my face. I guess Palírroia had enjoyed herself. Now that I finally collected my wits, I left my room and strolled down the corridor.

During the walk, I passed by Silena's room. Her door hung open, allowing anyone to peer inside. Of course, I couldn't hold back and did so. Minus the huddled mass, swathed in blankets, sitting in the middle of the bed, the room looked no different than any other. Silena sat there, frozen in place, as though Kronos locked her in a time pocket.

I encroached nearer, my hand held out in case she panicked. She did not move a muscle. Her attention directed itself towards the windows, opposite of where I stood. My footsteps failed to sound out, allowing me to silently approach the daughter of Aphrodite.

"Silena," I called.

Not a word. Not a movement.

I pressed my hand towards her shoulder, or what I assumed was her shoulder. Kind of hard to tell with all the blankets.

I called out to her once again, still yielding no reply.

Frustrated, I pulled away the top of her blankets, revealing a curtain of her black hair. Her glassy eyes stared off, not looking at anything in particular. Her slim figure was hard to make out, a mountain of blankets sealing her away.

I pulled her towards the head of the bed, which is much more difficult than people think. Try pushing a pile of rocks without having any of them fall off the pile; that's about what it felt like.

Despite all of my efforts, she failed to register me even once. Her gaze stared off, lost in the space of the room. Waving my hand in her face? Nothing. Gently shaking her shoulders? Nada. Rubbing her head? Zilch.

With a last ditch effort, I went for broke and kissed her forehead. To my relief, she groaned out. _It beats getting ignored._

"Silena, come on. Are you really just going to stay in here and stay buried in blankets?"

"It's comfortable. You should give it a try."

"Mind if I join you for a bit then?"

She shuffled around inside of the pile before finally opening her arms, a blanket draping from her like a massive cape. I scooted in next to her, successfully managing to be cocooned by her blankets.

"Like it?" she asked.

"Yeah…"

An awkward silence passed between the two of us.

"So…" I tried breaking the silence.

"You know, you don't have to do this."

"Do what?"

"Play nice. It feels forced."

"I'm not playing at anything. I just don't know how to comfort an old crush."

Her cheeks flushed, though she did smile a bit.

"So… how does it feel? Being back and all."

She hung her head low. "I don't know. How am I supposed to feel? One day, I'm dead; the next, I'm a concubine."

_Awkward…_

"Look, I didn't mean for this to happen to you. I never expected Hades to pull that kind of move."

"Yeah, well… I guess this means things will be more interesting."

She finally turned her head towards me, trapping me with her blue gaze. In that moment, I forgot how to speak.

"So," she said, "old crush?"

I turned away. "Maybe."

"Now why would Percy Jackson have a crush on little old me?"

"Are you kidding?" I turned back to her. "You're gorgeous, sweet, and you were one of the few who never treated me like crap at camp. It was just a matter of time before I fell for you."

"Aww. Poor Percy. Tongue tied by a simple conversation."

"Oh, so talking to Beckendorf never left you tongue tied?"

Her eyes fell, the momentary happiness gone.

_Percy, how do I spell this out to you nicely? YOU FUCKED UP!_

The tears fell from Silena without a sound. In my huddled state, I moved to wrap my arms around her, but she tackled me before I had the chance. Her face buried in my chest as she sobbed, bawling silently as her hands gripped my shirt.

"I miss him so much!" Her voice was muffled by my shirt.

"I know… I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to—"

"I know. It's not your fault. I just… wanted to see him one more time."

"You never saw him after… you know?"

She shook her head against my chest. "I went to Asphodel. Dying the way I did prevented me from entering the Fields of Punishment. I guess the judges aren't fans of spies."

I sighed, rubbing her back in slow circles. "You deserved better than that. If only the gods kept their promises."

"Well," she looked up, "one of them broke the rules for me. He gave me a second chance at life and I get to spend it with a friend."

"I… guess you're right."

We remained their, huddled together under the blankets for what may have been a few minutes or half an hour. When the thought of my earlier promise came to mind, I knew staying wasn't an option.

"Hey, I have to go. I made some promises I have to keep."

"Good."

I raised an eyebrow.

"It's good that you keep your promises. Never forget to do that."

She hugged me tightly, nearly squeezing the breath out of me. After that, she opened up the blanket and allowed me to climb out of bed. I made my way to the door before turning around.

"You know, I'm sure you will fare much better if you talk to the others. Staying isolated isn't too healthy. Try talking to Hazel. She can relate to you more than you know."

She nodded with a small smile, but lied back down, resting her head against the fluffy pillows.

With my last chat taken care of, I turned my attention back towards the hall and resumed my trip to the front.

Calypso was patiently sitting at the top of the steps that led to the front door. Adorned in her signature sleeveless dress, no one would have mistaken her for anything but a goddess. The late morning sun reflected off of her caramel hair, giving her a warm glow.

As she waited, she was running her hand along a moonlace flower that had been grafted to an ivy vine crawling up the walls of the villa. She had failed to notice me, as she was facing away from the entrance, so I decided to surprise her.

Tiptoeing my way towards her, I brought myself inches behind her before—

"Good try, Percy. But I'm not that oblivious."

I laughed out loud. "Dang. Guess I have to get sneakier."

She turned and looked up at me with a squinty face. "Hmm, I don't think so. Staying hidden doesn't seem like your style."

Got to give her points for accuracy. Most of my stealth missions ended with something exploding.

"Fair enough," I said. "You ready to go?"

She hopped up and gave me a dazzling smile. Her feet were doing a small shuffle, like she had too much energy and was ready to burst. Fortunately she was wearing a pair of sandals. I couldn't imagine the medical costs that would follow if she went to New York barefoot.

"Absolutely," she replied.

With that, she looped her arm around mine and accompanied me as we made our way down to the surf. Not too far out, I found that we were in a decent landing zone, so I let out my signature whistle.

Mere seconds later, Blackjack landed a few feet from us. Calypso looked to him in awe, evidently not familiar with black pegasi.

_Yo, boss. You need a lift?_

"Yeah," I said. "A lift would be fantastic."

He then craned his neck to look past me and let out a winnie, buffeting his wings and rearing on his hind legs.

_Woah, hold up! You've got Calypso here too?! You lucky stallion! You got all the dames!_

I smiled sheepishly. "I'll take that as it is and just say thanks."

"He's beautiful," Calypso remarked. "Such a majestic steed you have Perseus."

Blackjack dropped back to all fours and tossed his head around, like he was trying to do a hair flip with his mane.

_Dang, she's a sweetheart too! Don't let this one get away, ya feel?_

I was nervously scratching my head at this point. He gives wingman a whole new meaning.

"Yeah. I feel you. So, you willing to give us a ride?"

_Of course, man! Hop on._

He knelt down before us. I boosted Calypso up onto the black pegasus and crawled on behind her. Man, I missed the feeling of being on horseback.

Blackjack stood and worked himself up to a canter before taking flight. Calypso wasn't quite prepared, so she fell back into me. Yep, I knew there was a reason to sit behind her.

_Sorry about that guys. Shoulda let you know I was gonna take off._

"Don't worry about it man," I said. "Just been a while."

Calypso shifted in front of me. "What did he say?"

"He just apologized for to abrupt take off."

She leaned forward and rubbed his neck. "Don't apologize for that. I just haven't ridden a pegasus before."

_So keep the ride gentle. Got it. By the way, as much as I love being your number one chauffer, I can't just go flying around with no end goal in mind. Where are you guys going?_

I pondered that for a second. We _did_ have the entire world before us, but then again…

"Manhattan," I said. "Let's show Calypso the modern world."

**A/N - For those that were worried about me forgetting the other characters, let's hope this chapter puts your minds to rest. Every character will get their chapters to develop and grow closer to Percy. Of course, some will be more drawn out than others. Speaking of which, prepare yourselves for a few chapters with Calypso. If you haven't guessed, she'll be with Percy for a while.**

**I'm happy to see all of the reviews coming in now. It honestly makes me smile whenever you guys offer your reasons to either include or exclude Artemis. I'll admit, I may or may not cave in at some point. Of course, that all depends on how the votes go by the time we reach that chapter.**

**Glad to see that last chapter was much more well received than the previous. Now you guys realize that maybe, just maybe, Annabeth was a _teensy_ bit out of character for a reason. Also remember that I said the next few chapters won't include any lemony goodness. _But_ they will include some heartfelt moments, some teasing, and of course, some pain. How bad will it be? Guess you'll have to wait and find out...**

**As always, leave a review. Let me know what you think so far. This is Ronin signing off.**


	14. Not My Proudest Moment

Not My Proudest Moment

Trying to understand these phantom islands will give me an aneurysm one of these days. Seriously, endless water on every horizon, but so long as you travel just out of view of the island, the scenery shimmers away like ripples in a lake.

That being said, it wasn't a very long flight before a very familiar outline appeared in the distance. The high rises and skyscrapers thrust into the open air of New York. The Empire State building towered above all of the others, making its way to Olympus. I caught a brief glimpse of the godly city before Blackjack took a brief nose dive to escape a flock of pigeons.

_I swear, Epimetheus really should have left those guys out of his creation list._

I made no comment. With the lower altitude, the smell of the Hudson River and street life worked its way into my nose. Polluted water, fish, and wet garbage; yep, I was definitely home.

"So this is the modern world?" Calypso asked. Her hand was covering her nose. "Things truly aren't the way I thought they would be."

"I told you that you'd be disappointed." I said. "It's not pretty here."

"Not disappointed. Just perplexed. Why are these buildings so tall? What are those little colorful shapes between them? It's all just so… strange."

I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her waist.

"Blackjack, take us to Central Park. If we're going to introduce Calypso to this place, let's start with some familiar ground first."

_You got it boss. Hold on._

Fortunately, he remembered not to be extremely rough with his flying. Sure, I loved going at higher speeds, but I'm not sure Calypso would have agreed with that sentiment for her first flight. We landed in a small clearing towards the edge of the park near Fifth Avenue. Calypso and I dismounted before I patted Blackjack's flank.

"I definitely owe you some sugar cubes, man. Oh, and those hippocampi can move in to Galínios. There's a small cave that they can use as a shelter. Probably gonna build some stables over there at some point."

_Woo! You got it, boss! I'll go get them. You two behave yourselves!_

Without even waiting for a goodbye, Blackjack took back to the sky and disappeared into the clouds. I sighed a bit. It would've been nice to actually tell him when I wanted to meet up again.

I looked over to Calypso, who was staring around aimlessly, trying to take everything in. She finally realized I was looking at her and blushed.

"Sorry. Still new to this."

I laughed and held out my arm to her. "Don't worry about it. Shall we begin the journey?"

* * *

Never before had I really considered parenthood. If it was anything like leading Calypso around Manhattan, I'll take a pass. Sure, everything started off fine. Calypso made herself at home in the grove and she took in the park's natural beauty. At some point, a squirrel decided to make friends with her by chilling on her shoulder for a while.

However, when we left the park, things became a nightmare. She dragged me around trying to see absolutely everything. One moment, she was enthralled with a parked BMW. The next, she was running across the street to a homeless man huddled at the entrance of an alleyway. More than once did I have to yank her back to avoid running into oncoming traffic. Even the squirrel knew better and took off for his own safety.

"What's that?"

"Um, that's a traffic light."

"And that?"

"That's a trash can."

"What about that all the way over there?"

"Uhh, I think that's a crane."

I found it cute, honestly. She was so excited and energetic about every little thing. It made me marvel at how she could so easily find the interest and beauty in everything she saw.

In all honesty, it wasn't a very nice day out. The clouds were thick overhead and the humidity was ridiculous. Galínios spoiled me these past few days. The weather was always nice.

That didn't stop Calypso. Her dress clung to her body and sweat began to run down the side of her head, but she pressed on. I was thankful to have brought my wallet (I would have been stupid otherwise). Along the way, we both got hungry so I brought us to a small pretzel shop.

"What's a pretzel?"

I chuckled. "It's like a twisted strip of dough that's been baked. Most of the time, things like sugar and cinnamon are added to it. Though you can choose other things."

Her eyes widened at the prospect. I could already feel my wallet getting lighter in my pocket. _What have you done, Percy?_

I ordered myself a small container of pretzel dogs and a large coke. Calypso wasn't as simple. Her order consisted of two cinnamon sugar pretzels, a cup of pretzel bites and icing, and a large pretzel dog with a cheese sauce dip. To wash it down, she also bought a coke. _At least I could introduce her to the world of sodas… oh dear…_

"Mmm," she moaned as she bit into the pretzel. "I see why you speak so highly of these."

"Pretty good, huh?"

"Mm, yes. Let this be what my ambrosia tastes of."

I laughed at her sheer enjoyment for the food. The look of bliss on her face was intoxicating. Her reaction to the coke was equally as impressive.

"It burns!"

"Give it a second."

"But— but… oh. Hmm. Just another sip…"

It didn't take long for me to realize that I probably should have ordered more for myself. Sure the bites were tasty and I definitely missed the taste of street food, but that was the problem. That and I truly underestimated how hungry I was.

"Please, help yourself." Calypso said while shoving an icing covered pretzel my way. "You bought them so you have all rights to enjoy this food as well."

"Hey, you wanted to taste them and I don't blame you. If you're hungry, eat."

She pouted. Cheese sauce stained her upper lip.

"I'm hungry, yes. But there is more than plenty for both of us."

Maybe it was the smell of her food or how cute she looked when she pouted. Whatever it was, it made my will crumble and I accepted her offer.

We chatted a bit about everything that happened during my last time on her island, before slowly working our way to other topics. She wanted to know what happened during the last war so I did my best to sum it up, but I may have rambled for most of it.

Not once did she look away. Her eyes hardly blinked and perpetually increased in size as the story continued. Anytime I'd pause, she'd nod for me to keep going. When I got to the part about Tartarus, she placed her hand on my arm. I may have teared up once or twice during that time. I did my best not to think about that hole.

By the time I finished, her gaze hadn't once left my face. Not sure if that should be flattering or creepy, but then again, it makes sense given that she had no experience with any of this. So she would want to pay attention.

"Wow," she said. She leaned back in her chair and her shoulders sagged. "I can see why you would speak of Hera so bitterly… or Juno. Ugh, this is confusing. And to think that Gaea would be so callous…"

She scowled deeply at the now empty plate of food and crossed her arms.

"Yeah," I said. "Well at least the world is finally at peace."

"For now," she smiled coyly. "Thanks to you."

"Hey I summoned her with a bloody nose," I replied sarcastically. "Don't give me too much credit."

"Are you saying I should blame you for the near destruction of the world… again?"

My face went red. "Let's not."

She laughed and stood up, holding her hand out.

"Shall we continue our day, then?"

I smiled and took her hand.

"Indeed we shall."

* * *

After the meal, she finally settled down and was willing to stroll along. I never really noticed before, but she was attracting a lot of glances and stares from both pedestrians and drivers. _What? Never seen a girl in a Greek dress before? Sheesh, so inconsiderate._

Before long, we passed by a familiar looking alley. The graffiti without any tagging. The posters for Broadway shows that were outdated decades ago. This was the same alley where Rachel finished her first pegasus flying attempt. I didn't realize it, but I walked in and began staring at everything around the area. Sure it wasn't exactly that long ago in the grand scheme of things, but so much happened since then, it felt like an entirely different life.

Of course, in that moment of me being distracted, a group of street thugs decided we looked like a prime target. They surrounded us quickly and began a small chorus of cat calling and wolf whistling.

"Well well, lookie what we have here." One of them said. He was a bit shorter than the rest, with a bright green mohawk on top of his waxy head. Something tells me he dropped out of school and tried to start a garage band, but it didn't work out too well.

"You know," a heavy set one said. "We might let you go if you hand over the pretty lady. That dress is just begging to be torn off."

Calypso went red in the face and made like she was going to throttle him, but I stopped her before she could. This was a fight that I could feel familiar with. I spread my arms out defensively, but there were like a dozen or more. _Seriously, did they really plan on splitting Calypso among them? I mean, how would they… You know what, I'm not going to think about that._

"Back off," I warned. "If you know what's good for you, you'll turn around and walk away."

About half of the greasy gang laughed. The others started pulling out various items of pain inflicting. Such a colorful arrangement included knives, shivs, chains, and baseball bats. At least there weren't any guns. I couldn't dodge bullets easily.

My confidence actually began to grow. I could take these guys. Their stances were crap and half of them had horrible grips on their weapons. As if on instinct, I whipped out Riptide and uncapped it. My glowing bronze blade expanded and I quickly took a swipe at the nearest thugs.

I can tell you with a whole certainty that these guys were one hundred percent disgusting mortal. Funny, the way they smelled, I would have assumed descendents of the sewer goddess. Not so funny, they didn't take very long to react. My sword passed harmlessly through them. They looked stunned at first, but a face of pure rage masked their confusion.

Mohawk decided to attack first, lashing out with a meter long chain. In my vain attempt to block it, I raised Riptide. The chain wrapped right around my blade and struck my face. _Yeah, that is going to leave a mark._ Things were not looking too pretty. Of course in that moment, Calypso called out.

"Percy! Your left!"

Rule number one of any sport, keep your eye on the ball. I screwed up and focused my attention on Mr. Mohawk. That left me wide open to some goons to the left of me.

A crash across my face left me collapsing to the ground, dazed. Blood began to stream down my forehead and onto the street. My left eye was completely useless. It felt like small daggers were working their way into my face. The broken glass in front of me told me that someone just threw a beer bottle at my head.

"Percy!" Calypso called out.

_Yeah, that's my name. Shout it louder. I don't think they heard you… _

I may not have been able to see, but I've had worse injuries. One guttural scream later and I shoulder rushed the heavy set guy, ramming him into a dumpster. The gang obviously wasn't expecting me to still fight back, so they all just stared as I hammered my fists into the big guys sides. I drove my leg into the side of his knee, satisfied when I heard an audible _CRACK._

He let out a howl of pain and collapsed to the ground. _Well, that's one down. Only fifteen more to go_. Even if I didn't take them all, I knew that I needed to at least distract them long enough to allow Calypso an escape.

I never got the chance. A familiar chain struck my back and sent me face first into the side of the dumpster and on top of the big guy. If I didn't have any broken bones from that, I would have been surprised.

Unfortunately, my goal of keeping them distracted didn't hold out. There were more than enough to pummel me into the asphalt while the remainders advanced on Calypso.

My body filled with molten lead as the gang beat me with their weapons or kicked me with their booted feet. I felt my bones and muscles turn to putty underneath them.

Calypso screamed, though I was so out of it that her voice seemed far away. I knew she wouldn't go down without a fight, but there were simply too many.

My bones turned to jelly. There was no way that I was gonna come out of this one. Leave it to work out that way. Percy Jackson, twice savior of Olympus. Fought down hordes of monsters and battled gods and titans only to fall to a gang of street thugs. That would be my legacy.

_Immortal, not invulnerable._

That premise was always weird to me. I can't die, but I can be killed. Makes me sound like a Hunter of Artemis. Guess we're about to find out how that works.

I was ready to fall out of consciousness when I heard Calypso's voice again. _That's right. I need to help Calypso._

With some unknown strength that I pulled from… somewhere, I yanked myself off of the big thug and tried standing, to almost immediately be kicked back down.

"Percy!" Calypso called. "I can use the wind spirits to help, but I need your permission first!"

Now _you tell me! Then again, I probably should have just used my powers over water to make a pipe explode or something… Okay, we're even._

"Permission granted," I groaned out.

For a moment, everything went quiet. My ears then popped as a shockwave blasted past me. If not for my soft pillow of a man to cushion me, I would have gone head first into the dumpster… again.

Fortunately, the others weren't so lucky. They all went flying ten to twenty feet in the air, scattering in different directions. Some wound up well over fifty feet away and landed with sickening crunches. Others were sent face first into the brick walls.

Before too long, a gentle hand pressed against the side of my head. A familiar voice began to sing and the pain started to fade.

I groaned out and winced as her hand traveled over my body. Everywhere she touched, the pain numbed. This would work temporarily, but I needed a more permanent fix.

I rolled off of tubby and looked up at Calypso. Her dress was in tatters and her arms started to bruise. Otherwise, she looked about the same, minus the tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I should have done that sooner. Everything just happened so fast—"

"Don't," I mumbled. "It's on both of us."

She looked down to her knees, her face sullen.

I looked over to see the thugs still in various states of disorientation. They wouldn't stay that way forever.

"Could you help me up? I need to get somewhere and heal."

She wrapped her hands under my arms and helped me to my feet. _Yeah. Something is definitely broken._

I still couldn't see out of my left eye. The taste of iron refused to leave my mouth. I looked down at where I lied. _Is there supposed to be that much blood there?_

"Where can we go?" Calypso asked. "I don't know this area well enough."

I tried my best to think. Even with Calypso supporting most of my weight, I still couldn't stand very well. My vision was hazy at best. I hoped that what I saw on Calypso was the extent of the damage. With all of that, there was only one place that I could think of where I could get access to water and some medical treatment.

"Home," I grumbled. "Time for you to meet my parents."

* * *

**A/N - Definitely a shorter chapter, but that seemed like a good stopping point. So Percy finally returns to New York! And with Calypso no less. How will his mom and Paul react to the situation? Will they be confused by Calypso's arrival? Will Percy and Calypso actually go shopping? Only time will tell.**

**So I've noticed that Artemis suddenly gained another surge in popularity, along with some other goddesses. For those who suggested them, I will refer you to my disclaimer. I already have another goddess in mind. No matter what, she _is_ going to have an encounter or two with Percy. As for Artemis though, I will take votes up until that chapter. As I've said, if I include her, it won't be until _much_ further down the line. Let it also be known that I am only loosely following my outline. I'm allowing the story to flow on its own accord to make the progression a bit more natural. As such, there might be more chapters than I originally expected. Keep that in mind for you Pertemis shippers. Also, if you do make a vote for or against Artemis, I'm more likely to take the vote into consideration if you put more into the review than just the vote. Once again, big shout out to SinfulTurtle and now oghren for your lengthy reviews! I look forward to them with every new chapter!**

**All in all, you should know the process by now. Leave a review (every one of them are read maybe twice daily, even the old ones). This is Ronin signing off.**


	15. I've Had Worse Reunions

I've Had Worse Reunions

Whoever was responsible for giving me my fatal flaw, I don't know if I should give them a handshake or slap them across the face. On one hand, loyalty is an absolutely massive obstacle to come over when you own a harem, though I think I've moved past that at this point. On the other, if mine were pride like Annabeth's, I would have died from shame by this point.

Calypso pretty much carried me the whole way to my apartment. Four city blocks suddenly becomes a massive undertaking when you don't have full function of your legs. The humidity certainly didn't help. As much as I tried walking on my own, it always ended with me nearly face planting myself on the cement.

"Ow... Ow... _OW!_ Okay, that one hurt…"

"Sorry. Should we stop and rest?"

"No. Best we get out of the street before those guys realize where we are."

We shuffled along, continuing our way to my home. As we did, a small tinge of thought entered my sorry excuse of a muddied mind.

"Hey, you said you needed my permission to use your powers. What did you mean by that?"

Calypso grunted under my weight. "When a concubine leaves the location of the harem, in this case, Galínios, they are stripped of any supernatural abilities. Basically put, you could render a goddess no greater in strength than a mortal."

I grumbled from the sheer stupidity. "Why would they even come up with a law like that? And how did you know about it to begin with?"

Calypso huffed. "You're not the first harem I've been invited to. But as I would really not like to grace Heracles's bed, I chose to remain on my own island. As for why it exists, imagine if Khione were given the freedom to use her powers outside of the harem. Do you not think she could create havoc?"

"Yeah, but- ow! But there's difference between you and Khione. And you were given a choice!?"

"At the time, yes. I was asked, seeing as I was already a prisoner, prior to my induction. The same cannot be said for this time, though I'm not complaining. And while I might not be as aggressive as Khione, the potential to have anyone turn on their master or wreck havoc is not a risk the Titans were willing to take."

With that thought, we carried on for what seemed like forever. When we finally reached a familiar looking apartment building, I nearly cried at the next obstacle… Stairs.

Calypso huffed. Her face was caked in sweat by this point. "As much as I would be willing to do it, I don't think I can carry you up these."

I groaned out. "Ugh. I'll try my best…"

Her singing wore off at this point. My once numb ailments all started popping up like beatdown chicken pox. I looked up at the stairs and swallowed hard, which fortunately didn't result in me choking myself.

I leaned forward and crawled my way up the stairs, heaving and wincing every time my chest grazed the edge of the concrete. Calypso did her best to keep me from hurting myself further, but one thing has been well established. If I can do anything right, it's hurt myself.

After that excruciating ordeal of… _five stairs?! Ugh, whatever._ Anyways, Calypso helped pull me to my feet and I pressed the buzzer to my apartment.

_BZZZZ!_

"Hello?"

I wanted to break down in tears at the sound of my mom's voice. The sobs of so many months I would never get back began welling up in my throat. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I would have punctured my lungs if I did anything drastic. Namely cry.

"Hey mom," I said. "It's Per—"

The feed between us cut off instantly. _Oh dear. This isn't going to be pretty. _Within seconds, I could hear the sound of heavy footsteps inside of the building before the door was thrown open. I was greeted with the equally horrified and awestruck faces of my mom and stepdad.

My mom's hair had greyed a bit more since I could last remember. The worry lines on her forehead were much more deeply etched. Her eyes were in tears and her mouth trembled, trying to enunciate anything.

"Before you yell. Or scream. Or cry. Or try to hug me. Just please let me inside so I can actually heal myself. Paul, there should be a thick brown plastic bag on my desk. Could you get it for me?"

That took a lot out of me to say. My mom was still petrified. Not sure what was harder for her to grasp, the fact that I was back for the first time in months, or me being covered in blood with a pretty girl in a torn up dress trying her best to keep me from falling over. It's sad, I still think the former was the cause of it.

Paul recovered long before my mom did and gave me a quick nod, though his face paled quite a bit when he realized how badly I needed a hospital.

"Need help getting up?"

"... Probably."

He then put his arms around my mom and led her back up the stairs. Calypso and I shuffled our way into the short hallway. A few minutes later, Paul came back down and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder. Thank the gods he was careful not to touch my torso. My hips now rested uncomfortably on my step father as he hauled me up the stairs. Calypso closely followed, her face somewhere between worry and amusement.

We made it to the apartment and Paul set me down on the couch. My mom sat in an armchair with a cup of blue Coca-Cola in her hands… _Wait. Was that the last thing I drank before going missing?... Creepy._

Calypso sat next to me and pulled out a handkerchief to start cleaning my face while Paul went over to my room. He came back shortly after with the bag and handed it to me. I wasn't in any shape to grab it myself, so Calypso took hold of it for me, thankfully understanding the contents inside of it.

I leaned back and opened my mouth as Calypso fed me a square of ambrosia. Then two. Then four. I nearly melted at the taste of brownie, but the sudden burst of energy almost left me in shock. My wounds began closing and my insides began mending.

I sighed in relief as I could now draw a breath without wincing. Calypso quickly left to get a glass of water from the kitchen before returning her spot on the couch. Guess she figured out how to use a sink back at Galínios. She dapped her handkerchief in the water and patted at the torn up tissue around my left eye. Oh yeah, I could now see out of my left eye again. Water certainly works miracles, even if it comes out of the tap.

"So," I finally said. "How've you guys been?"

Once my recovery was more or less evident, the waterworks were let loose. My mom surged forward and hugged me while screaming and sobbing about how much she missed her baby. Paul hugged me as well, but most of his time was spent trying to keep my mom calm. He managed it much better than I would have.

My ribs still hurt, but fortunately the aggressive hugging didn't crack anything… again. I hugged her back and tried to comfort her, but she sobbed for all it was worth. So many months of worrying were finally let go in one massive tidal wave of emotion. She had me in tears before too long. It never occurred to me how much I missed my mom.

"Seven and a half months," my mom wept. "You're gone for seven and a half months and now you just show up at the door covered in blood, barely able to walk!"

"I know," I said. "Trust me. I wanted to come back, but—"

"Don't," she said. "You're home now. My baby is safe."

If those lines didn't describe my mother perfectly, then I don't know what would. The world could have gone through an apocalypse but as long as I was safe, my mom was content.

She pulled away and rubbed her hands over my face. Even as old as I was, I would never get tired of her comforting touch.

"Are you hungry? Who's your friend? How about some drinks? I could make some pancakes or seven layer dip." Her questions fired off so quickly, I nearly had a seizure trying to keep up with them.

"Sally, let the boy breathe. Who knows what he's been through?"

I definitely owed it to Paul. He knew how to keep my mother from going overboard. It was one of the many things I appreciated about him.

My mom pulled back, but looked a little ashamed. She then sat herself back in the armchair and took a deep breath. After collecting herself, she leaned forward and looked at both Calypso and I.

"Okay. Tell me what happened."

It wasn't long before she was reduced to tears again. That could not have been healthy. Paul left his spot by the kitchen to comfort her as I continued the story. I tried to keep the dangerous details out, but most of the story wound up on the cutting room floor because of it. Just like I thought, she was sobbing into Paul's chest as I described my time in Tartarus.

"Oh Annie. I hope she's okay."

"She's fine for now. Busy, but fine."

When the story was all summed up, she calmed down. Once she came to her senses, she actually listened with relative ease. Though by the end of it, she looked ready to kick the floor.

"A nosebleed? Really? And all because of Gaia?" She huffed. "And here I thought my gardening was a good thing."

"That's right!" I exclaimed. "Where do you have it?"

She pointed to the window behind me. "Same as always."

I turned to see the flower bed. "Calypso, look."

Calypso turned to it as well and gasped. "You actually did it! There's so many!"

True enough. With all of the time passed, my mom apparently managed to expand the one moonlace flower to nearly a dozen. Every single one of them were beautiful. They were all closed because of the sun, but they still retained a faint glow.

I turned to Calypso and smiled. "I made you a promise."

Tears began to well up in her eyes. None of us could have guessed what she did next. She threw her arms around me and kissed my new scar before taking a turn for my lips. My first real kiss from Calypso, and of course it had to be in full view of my parents. She pulled away after a little while and blushed, taking my hand into hers.

Paul cleared his throat. "So, uh. Who's your friend?"

"And what was _that_ about?! Did something happen between you and Annabeth?"

I sighed a bit. This was about to get awkward. The moment I introduced them to Calypso, my mom recalled what I brought up about her before. Calypso was a little more than pleased to hear I actually talked about her after leaving Ogygia and didn't just forget about her.

"And in regard to her kissing me. Well…"

I told them about the Olympians' little 'gift' for me. With that, I explained the general premise of what was going on with the harem. I told them about the phantom island of Galínios and of the curse every one of the girls bore. Eventually I shifted topics to the trip Calypso and I took to get here and the events leading up to our arrival. I half winced and waited for their response. Hopefully Piper was right and they would be understanding about this.

Both of them looked visibly shaken.

"Eighteen," Paul muttered. "I can't even imagine."

My mom's face looked crestfallen. "And have you already… you know…"

My head dropped to my chest level. I couldn't meet their eyes. Calypso rubbed her thumb over my knuckles. So much of her comfort she provided me consisted of rubbing my knuckles.

"Yeah. I have. I had to. Otherwise… the curse would take effect…"

"And was Annabeth your first?"

If my head could sink lower, it would have. "I don't know. According to her, yes. But I can't remember. She said it happened between us before this whole debacle with the giants and Gaia."

"You didn't make sure?"

"Okay mom, seriously. Do you realize how awkward this is getting?"

She looked hurt. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to clear my own thoughts."

"Speaking of which," I said. I pointed at my mother's gut. I may not have been the most observant person, but a son knows when there's something different about his mom. "How far along are you?"

My mom looked back shocked and a little embarrassed. "Three months. I promise, we weren't trying to replace you or—"

"Mom, don't. I get it. Life goes on. I'd rather not know as much about that part of your life as you now know about mine."

She looked down. "Right."

"So have you guys decided on a name?"

She smiled. "We haven't decided on a boy's name. But if it's a girl, we wanted to go with Estelle."

I leaned back. "After grandma… I like it. A little old-timey, but I'm not exactly in a state to judge."

"I agree," Calypso said. "It is a very pretty name. Even if it is a little 'old-timey.'" She made a face and stuck her tongue out at me.

I laughed but then thought on the matter at hand. As much as I really wanted this topic to be over, I needed an answer.

"So… how do you guys feel about… the set up?"

My mom and Paul both looked pained. They seemed to share a silent conversation between them. Funny how I can pick up on small things like that. My mom finally sighed and spoke.

"I always hoped you would outlive me, as any mother would hope for their child. But this isn't quite what I had in mind."

"Oh, mom…"

I was _really_ hoping she wouldn't bring that up. Some day I was going to see her funeral. Some day I was going to see all of my friend's funerals. Except for the girls at my harem.

"As long as you come and visit, I'm willing to accept everything as is."

I stared back, shocked. "Of course I'll visit. Every month. We can make a day of it every month. Would you prefer holidays or maybe just the first day of every month or—"

"We can get to those details later. Besides, I'm sure your… friends will want to spend some time with you on the holidays as well."

… _Awkward…_

She stood up from the chair. "Well in any regard, I have to get going soon. I have a meeting with my publisher in about an hour."

She turned and began making her way down the hall before stopping and looking back at us. "You will stay for tonight, won't you? You said you wanted to go shopping. It could save you some stress to just stay here for the night."

I shifted uncomfortably on the couch. "Um. I don't know. Not saying I don't want to, it's just… you know. I have other responsibilities."

She frowned. "Are you sure? It would mean the world to me if you did."

"Sally," Paul chided, "don't pressure him. He's got enough on his plate as is."

My mom bowed her head and returned to her trip to her room. Paul looked back at me and sighed.

"You've no idea how much of a weight this is off of her shoulders. Mine as well of course, but she took it hard. When you sent us that message a couple months back, she recorded it and would listen to it every day."

He stood up and patted my shoulder. "Give it some consideration. Staying here, I mean. It would make these past several months worth it to her."

With that, he followed my mom to their room. I leaned back and sighed. Decisions, decisions. I _did_ want to stay. To feel back at home for once. But even this place started to feel alien to me.

I turned to Calypso. "What do you think? Should we spend the night?"

She shrugged. "I don't see why not. It lets you spend time with your family and gives us some breathing room for time."

"You know, my bed is pretty small."

She smiled coyly. "Well, then I hope you enjoy the couch."

I tried to close my mouth, but I just couldn't.

She laughed. "Just kidding. I wouldn't mind sharing, even if it is a small bed." She leaned her head against my shoulder with her hand clasped in mine.

_Oh boy. I can see where this will lead us. Well, it was going to happen at some point. _I hoped it would have been nicer than an old apartment with a not so stellar bed. _Still, keep your hands off the pretty girl for now, Jackson._

I looked over at the caramel haired beauty next to me. Her eyes were softly closed as she nestled up to me. As peaceful as she looked, I couldn't imagine her as some all powerful sorceress. Yet she was the one who saved my hide from those thugs. I'd never be able to repay that.

"Hey," I said. "Gotta get up for a minute. I'll go talk to Annabeth about us staying."

Calypso smiled up at me and pulled off. I made my way over to the bathroom as she strolled over to my mom's room.

For not even a second did I see her do it. Nor did I know why I could sense it. I just could. The same way I could detect my exact location while at sea, I could tell Calypso stood from the couch and passed behind me, despite her silent footsteps.

I fished out a drachma. Fortunately, those thugs didn't try to rob me while pummeling my face into the sidewalk. I turned on the faucet and used my powers to make a mist appear. With the bathroom light and the mirror behind it, I managed to form a weak rainbow.

"Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering."

I tossed the drachma into the mist and it disappeared.

"Show me Annabeth Chase."

The cloud shimmered into an image of my Wise Girl sitting at a desk. Her head was buried in her work as she furiously wrote something down. I would never understand her penchant for studying.

"Annabeth," I called.

She jumped a bit and looked around before seeing me. "Oh. Hey Percy."

"Annabeth," a female voice hollered, "is that a personal call?"

She looked back at Athena. "It'll just be real quick." She then quickly looked back at me.

"Working hard?"

"Don't you know it. What's up? What did you need?"

I told her about my visit back home and about my mom's request for me to stay the night. I made sure not to say anything about us getting jumped.

"It'd be cool of she got to see you too. Maybe we could meet tomorrow morning for breakfast or something."

She pondered for a bit. "I'll have to push back my class with Hephaestus tomorrow, but I don't think he'll mind. Otherwise, I have no arguments. Though the fact you would ask me for permission to spend time with your mom seems a little redundant."

I looked away. "I don't know. It just didn't feel right not getting your input. Plus I was hoping you could let the others know where I am when you get back to the island."

"Huh. Well I can do that. So you and _Calypso _are going to be _alone _tonight?" The conviction in her voice did not go unnoticed.

I looked away and coughed. "Um yeah. Listen, I don't plan for this stuff to happen. It just does."

"I know. I know. Well either way, I've got work to do and so do you. Have fun on your _date_."

With that, she swiped her hand through the mist and broke the connection. I stared into the bathroom mirror and tried to take everything in. I was finally home. I was finally back with my mom. And I was about to go shopping with Calypso.

I left the bathroom and entered the hallway. Before my mom left for her meeting, I relayed the information to her, leaving her more than a little pleased.

"Don't you two eat while you're out. I'm making dinner tonight."

My stomach rumbled at the thought. _A home cooked meal by my mother for the first time in almost eight months… wow that's sad._

She and Paul left to go to her meeting, but not before she handed me a significant amount of spending money. Paul also had some business to take care of at Goode High School before the year started back up, so he was going to be gone for a while.

I quickly met back up with Calypso, who was now dressed in some of my mom's clothes: a pair of skinny jeans and a beige v-neck tee shirt. The color actually complemented her dark eyes very well. The sleeves hid her now fading bruises.

"So," I said. "How about we actually get to the shopping?"

**A/N - Well, that was a much better feel good chapter, wouldn't you say? A little revealed. A little discussed. One nice, happy reunion. Can you say Sally's reaction surprised you? Is Percy going to enjoy shopping? Is Paul secretly a blowfish? Maybe. Maybe not.**

**So I understand that a _lot_ of people were unhappy with how the last chapter ended with Percy and Calypso getting slapped around by a bunch of common thugs. I actually had my old roommate read that chapter, and he thought it was hysterical for someone as overpowered as Percy to lose to common gangbangers. Hopefully my explanation on Calypso's part helps make this a bit more believable. I realized there was a slight error in my first chapter. I never included this particular part of the rule without realizing it because the rule about not hurting Percy without permission mixed into the same rule for some reason (Just an error on my part).**

**This being said, to comment on the claims of Calypso being an all powerful titaness. I have one question for those commenters. According to who?**

**I've done a great deal of research on Calypso, and Rick Riordan severely jacked up Calypso's character, parentage, and timeline. As such, any conflicting information, I've resorted to the Homeric version of Calypso (the version that appears in The Odyssey). This means, she is only a demi titaness. I simply refer to her as a titaness because I know at some point, I'll screw up and call her a demigoddess. It's just for my own sanity. This also means she isn't some all powerful sorceress and that she doesn't have any kids (this is relevant only because this version is a virgin). So for those claiming that Calypso is capable of vaporizing every one of the thugs, and taking them on single handedly; yeah, that isn't the case for this version of the story (which is technically more accurate to the original character than Rick's version. I've recently made a post on the Fandom page about the inaccuracies with Calypso's lineage (and some other things). Basically put, I'm trying to give the most accurate version of Calypso I can.**

**Now, as for Percy losing. Let's just say that explanation will come in a few chapters. I'm not oblivious to his abilities. But, after reading so many stories where Percy wipes out Olympus/ becomes Guardian of the Hunters/ takes out an army of Octavian led Romans by himself, let's just say that I'm going in the opposite direction. Percy is a powerful demigod for sure. But he isn't invincible. It also frustrates me to no end that Rick brings up how demigods are twice as vulnerable as either monsters or mortals, but demigods only ever seem to die at the hands (or claws) of mystical beings. Also, have you ever tried fighting someone who is wielding a chain? As a security guard, I can tell you, trying to fight it off with a sword (or anything roughly that size) is not easy in any sense. Disarming is simply out of the question, unless you can get leverage. Regardless, Percy had other reasons for losing that fight. You'll see that develop later on though. Consider it a tack onto Percy's series of unfortunate events.**

**Well, I think that's all for now. We still have quite a few more chapters with Calypso before we make a return to the island. I hope you all enjoy it.**

**As always, leave a review (Hopefully these will be a bit more understanding. I did tell you guys to trust me after all. I do know, more or less, what I'm doing and why I'm doing it). This is Ronin signing off.**


	16. My First Major Shopping Trip

My First Major Shopping Trip

Note to self, talk to Hazel about trading some gems in for money. If this shopping trip taught me anything, it's that I won't make it very far with only drachmas remaining.

Calypso and I hailed a cab. While I may not have any issues with walking, I was a little reluctant after our little _incident._

"Where to?" The cabbie asked.

"Manhattan Mall."

Fortunately the drive wasn't very far, only a few blocks at most, and the streets were relatively clear following the afternoon lunch rush. That's right, after everything that happened, it was only a little after four in the afternoon. Talk about a long day.

When the cabbie dropped us off, I took a look at the building in front of us. Manhattan Mall was a massive four story shopping complex almost completely covered in windows. I could almost see the back of the building from the outside, but there were too many people to make out the details. I turned to Calypso.

"Well, here we are," I said. "Where do you want to go first?"

Calypso pouted and glared at me. "I don't know. I haven't been here before."

I felt like facepalming myself right then and there. _Of course she's not gonna have a clue._ Before I could let my own embarrassment show, I held out my arm to Calypso.

"Well, let's just browse then. Let me know if you see something you like."

Her frown lessened as the edges of her mouth were pulled upward. A gleam in her eyes made me a little nervous about how much she was going to spend on this trip. She laced her arm through mine and we walked into the massive shopping center.

* * *

If leading Calypso around Manhattan was difficult, then leading her around the mall was suicide. Nearly every store had something she was enthralled in. She didn't take much interest in the technology stores, which left me relieved. For one thing, I didn't have that kind of money. Also, being a demigod around technology really doesn't end too well.

Our first major stop was some sort of sportswear shop. I was in need of some new running shoes, so I couldn't complain. While I was off getting myself a pair of new Nike's, Calypso browsed through various outfits and tried them on in the dressing room.

"Hey, what do you think of this one?"

I looked up and took a quick breath. She looked… well, you'll figure it out. She was dressed in a skintight turquoise singlet with a pair a grey leggings that went just past the halfway point of her calves. A pair of black biker shorts rested just above the leggings. Just to sell it further, she wore a pair of black biker gloves with cut off finger tips. I reminded myself to breathe.

"Uh… um… dah…" I just couldn't enunciate my own thoughts. This was Calypso. I spent so long just seeing her in dresses that I never really considered how she would look in anything else. If this was anything to go by, I may just have to reconsider my stance on keeping my hands off of her for now.

She took my stuttering as a good sign. A coy smile danced on her lips as she drifted over to me. Her lips delicately trailed along my jaw before she pulled away.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

Something's _about to have my tongue_, I thought to myself.

Before I could make a move, she pulled away and skipped her way back to the dressing room, happy with the stuttering wreck she turned me into.

She purchased the outfit (I actually did, but let's not get into the details) and we made our way around to see more shops. As if she were doing her best to reduce me to nothing but a gibbering mess with a raging hard on, she dragged me into a swimwear store to pick out some choice outfits for the pool and beach.

So many of Calypso's choices in swimwear left it difficult for me to breathe. Several one piece and two piece swimsuits of varying colors and designs dressed her body before she finally settled on one that she really liked. It was an olive green two piece bikini with a small bronze ring connecting everything in the back. A slightly frilled skirt hung from her panty line, traveling just about to her upper thigh. Seeing her in this may or may not have left me drooling. As if this wasn't enough, one of the store attendants decided to let us in on some news.

"We're having an end of the summer sale," she said. "Two swimsuits for the price of one."

_Murder me now._ Calypso wasted no time revisiting all of her previous choices before picking a white one piece swimsuit with a deep plunge, revealing a not too subtle amount of cleavage. The image of her tanning in this wormed its way into my head and left my brain fried as we continued to move on through more and more shops.

We passed through so many different stores, I'm sure that I wound up with vertigo by the end of it. A few of them were trendy and casual clothing stores that Calypso had a field day with. The opposite was the case when we made our way into a very formal dress store.

"These designs are terrible," Calypso sniffed. "They are way to restrictive and the material would rip with some of the most basic movements. I was designing better gowns than this twenty five hundred years ago."

We didn't get anything from that store. Nearly two hours later, I was left carrying half a dozen bags from different stores with several sets of clothes in each.

"Can we take a break real quick?" I begged. "My arms are killing me."

Calypso looked disappointed but thankfully agreed. We took a seat on the edge of a massive fountain on the bottom floor. The sound of the crashing water was soothing for me. It reminded me of my cabin back at camp.

I looked down at the bags at my feet, then to Calypso.

"Enjoying the shopping trip?"

"Absolutely," she said cheerfully. "There's clothes here that I never would have thought to weave! The variety. The colors. It's all fantastic!"

She then leaned forward and kissed my cheek. "And of course, you have been a fantastic chaperone."

My face got a little hot at that comment. I was with arguably the most beautiful girl in the entire complex and she was the one flirting with me.

"I try my best."

She grabbed my head and turned me to face her.

"You've done much more than just try."

Her next kiss was equally as warm and tender as the one back in front of my parents. Apparently she had no concept of privacy, because she failed to notice the dozen plus people staring at us for the PDA. She pulled away and gave me a bright grin. There certainly was no dampening her mood. I wished I could say the same for myself. There was one thing that I just couldn't get off of my mind.

"Hey. You said earlier that I wasn't under my own control. What exactly did you mean by that?"

Her lips took a slight turn south. "Like I said, I could sense some other power at work. I don't know who's or why or how exactly it works, but someone else was responsible for you actions. Or at least influencing them."

I shook my head dejectedly. "No one is responsible for my actions except me."

Calypso placed her hand on mine. "Percy, just as mortals cannot see through the mist, you could not have seen through this. I don't know what exactly the magic was. All I know is that this was definitely not the work of some two bit sorcerer."

I picked up my head. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

She smirked. "Most likely. This was the work of a god."

Fantastic. So not only was I being watched by the gods, but they were also toying with me like some sort of puppet. On that cheerful note, I stood up and stretched.

"Hmm. Sure that you're not the one responsible? Maybe you're bewitching me."

Calypso furrowed her eyebrows and glared at me. "Was that supposed to be a joke?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. It's almost always the pretty ones that are the most wicked."

She stood up and slinked over to me. Her hands rested on my shoulders.

"So you think I'm pretty enough to be wicked?" She asked sultrily.

"Definitely."

She replied by shoving me backwards, sending me straight into the fountain with a loud _SPLASH_. I panicked a bit before realizing that I can't drown and pulled myself out.

Calypso had her hands on her knees, laughing her head off at my expense. "I guess I really _am_ wicked. Care to see what else I have up my sleeve?"

I willed myself dry and ignored the stares of about seventy people. "I'd rather not."

"Awww," Calypso pouted and moved forward again. I braced myself for another push, but she simply moved her head to my ear and whispered. "Are you sure? It could be a lot of fun…"

I got the hint at what she was implying. _Seriously? In this public of a place, she's going to try seducing me?_ It was working. Goosebumps flared up across my body at her words. I wasn't about to let her get away with this.

"Maybe later," I whispered back. "But only if you're a good girl."

That was my trump card and it worked wonders. Her eyes went wide and she was left stuttering trying to find a comeback.

Before she could properly get back at me, I gave her a quick peck on the lips and picked up the bags.

"Shall we get back to it?"

"Okay," she pouted. "But there's one store that I really wanted to go to next."

Victoria's Secret. Of course it had to be Victoria's Secret. How is it that a girl who lived isolated from all of society for over three thousand years managed to find the one place that would be expected of her to look through?

She searched through various panties, bras, bustiers, and stockings. I did my best not to die of embarrassment. So this is what it feels like for most guys in a relationship. I never had this problem with Annabeth. Lingerie just wasn't her thing. Before too long, Calypso came up to me holding a crimson and black set of some very exotic looking underwear.

"Do you think this would look good on me?"

My shirt seemed to be getting tighter as she asked this.

"Um. I don't know. Besides, it's what _you_ think that matters."

She glared at me. "No. I'm not getting this for my own visual pleasure. I'm trying to find something that you would like to see me in."

In that case, we may as well just walk out of the mall. As much as she's been teasing me all day, I'd rather see her in nothing. Then again, the idea was actually pretty intimidating. You don't just imagine someone like Calypso spreading their legs for you. When I first arrived to Camp Half-Blood, I thought Selina was pretty intimidating when she flirted with me. Now that several years have passed, Calypso definitely takes the cake.

"Uhh," I said intelligently. "I don't know then. I'd need to see it on you to know for sure."

Someone give me some rope because I honestly felt like hanging myself off of the fourth floor balcony for that line. Even worse was Calypso's reaction.

"Oh. Well, I wouldn't mind showing you. The problem is that there aren't any dressing rooms in here." She immediately started reaching for the hem of her shirt. "Unless of course, you want to cover for me and have me show off right here in the store."

_Okay, seriously?!_ I know this girl hasn't left her island for several millennia and thus, hasn't really discovered the concept of confidentiality. But she was being _very_ bold with her actions.

She began pulling her shirt up, but I stopped her in her tracks.

"Oh? Do you not want to see me in this?"

A pained expression worked its way onto my face. "You have no idea how badly I want to. But we can't do that here."

She put her shirt down and turned around before bending over to pick up her set of lingerie. As if I wasn't already worked up, she made a very suggestive action by shoving her butt into my crotch and tantalizingly rubbing against it. It didn't help that the skinny jeans she was wearing hugged her figure very well, mapping her well formed rear with too much detail to ignore. A small whimper may have escaped my throat at some point.

"Okay then. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what you think later."

She stood back up and proceeded to the checkout. _Ugh, this girl is going to kill me_. Why did she have to be so alluring and scary while still being stupidly friendly about this?

Our last stop was a store that seemed to be right up Calypso's alley. Sun dresses and various other loose fitting gowns adorned the windows and models. Some of them looked like they had been ripped straight from Calypso's loom on Ogygia.

"Well," she sniffled. "Doesn't this feel nostalgic?"

I tried my best to give an uplifting half smile. "We could try and find something like what you were wearing earlier today. That dress looked really good on you."

She looked away at my statement. "No. I can still repair that dress… Though I will need a loom."

I considered introducing Calypso to the world of sewing machines, but I decided not to open that can of worms.

"Well, there's still plenty of other items here that I could definitely see you wearing. Want to look around and see if you find anything you like?"

She smiled gratefully. "I would love to."

Calypso was much more reserved and quiet with this particular store while shopping. In almost every other shop, she would bustle around and grab anything that caught her eye. That wasn't the case with this one. She would drift from dress to dress, milling slowly as she examined the work of each.

After some time, there was one that she found to her tastes and made her way to the dressing room. I patiently waited outside and listened to her quietly curse to herself as she tried getting out of my mom's clothes. A few minutes passed before she finally called out.

"Okay. Let me know what you think."

The door opened and I lost my ability to think. She was adorned in a pearl colored flowing satin gown. Silver medallions pinned her dress at the shoulders. A lightly pleated skirt trailed down her legs, adorned in lilies, with a thin fuchsia silk belt tying the dress around her thin waist. Her feet were dressed in some laced leather sandals that worked their way up her legs, the straps tying together just short of her knees.

"Well," she repeated, her face flushed. "What do you think?"

I responded by grabbing her shoulders and walking her back into the changing room. I turned her to face the mirror as I stood behind her. With my chin resting on her shoulder, I wrapped my arms around her waist.

"In front of me is a beautiful woman in a beautiful dress. I don't think that we'll ever find one that can truly do you justice, but this is by far my favorite outfit of the day."

Her eyes were wide and her face was beet red. For once, I truly had her at a loss for words. I could feel her shiver in my arms.

Before long, I pulled away and smiled at her image in the mirror. Not a moment passed before she whirled around and tackled me with a kiss, knocking me against the opposite side of the dressing room. Her previous attempts at this had been warm and tender. Now, she kissed me with a passion that rivaled Piper's. Her arms worked their way around my neck and held me in place for a few minutes as she gave me her physical expression of gratitude.

Eventually, she pulled back with a broad smile on her face. I took a moment to collect myself before brushing my hand over her cheek.

"Why don't we make this purchase and head on back to the apartment?"

* * *

Fortunately, the attendant had no problems with Calypso wearing the dress while we paid for it.

"You're paying for it one way or another. Who cares if you wear it now or after you leave?"

Following the extremely long day, I came to the sudden realization that I was out of money for a taxi ride. Looking down at the collection of bags in my hands, I realized how that was possible.

"Um. I don't have any problems with carrying some of those," Calypso said.

With as long as I had been carrying them, I wasn't about to refuse her offer. I split my carrying load in half and let Calypso hold four bags.

The return trip was fortunately uneventful. As much crap that we went through today, it was a breath of fresh air for me. Well, as fresh as you can get in Manhattan.

The sun was beginning to set when we found ourselves back in front of the apartment building. Paul's blue prius sat along the curb. Four very suspicious hoof marks dented its hood.

"I hope you enjoyed this little trip," I said. "It's been a long time since I've been back here."

Calypso gave me a curious look. "Percy, this day could have been terrible and I still would have found only good things about it. This is the world that I've been wanting to see. Sure, it's not exactly picture perfect, but it's something outside of an island with nothing but water in every direction. Trust me, I loved today. The incident in the alley notwithstanding."

That was a delight to hear. I was honestly really nervous about showing her the real world. Now, even after all the crap that happened today, she still had a positive outlook on everything. It was honestly really endearing.

Satisfied with her answer, I led the way into the apartment. Fortunately, I grabbed my key from the key box before leaving, so I didn't have to wait around for my parents to admit us again.

Once inside, our heavy footsteps reverberated through the building as the floor struggled to carry our weight mixed with the clothes. Four flights later and we made our way through the door to my apartment and were met with a rather warm welcome.

"Glad to have you guys back," my mom said. "You can put the bags down by the couch. Dinner's almost ready."

* * *

**A/N - Well, that's one mall trip done. I know this one is coming in a bit late. You can thank an inconsistent work schedule for that. Thanks to my unpredictable life, you can expect a chapter every three to four days. If it takes longer than that, I'm dead. Jk. In all seriousness, it shouldn't take me that long.**

**So, apparently Calypso alone seems to be boring some readers. Let me just put it this way. She is, without a doubt, one of _the most important_ characters within the story. Hence the reason why I put so much effort into my research for her. She's getting this many chapters to really allow some rapport to be built. Plus, this little "side quest" is arguably one of the most important of the story. Several plot points result from this day and the next. And most of this day would not have happened if not for Calypso's request. You'll understand in due time. After reading the comment, I was debating about including a little run in with Clarisse to do a "check in" for Camp Half-Blood while heading back to the apartment or something along those lines, but it seemed way too forced. Especially since she's supposed to be in Arizona following the events of HoO (yes , I do actually keep up with the continuity of the other characters, even if they aren't in the story).**

**Well, you guys have been patient with your waiting. Hopefully this chapter teased you a bit. Is it the wrong time to say that I already have next chapter written? And maybe some more (or a lot more) after that? Next chapter is arguably one of my favorite lemons that I've written. You just wait.**

**I am still keeping up with the Artemis requests, so go ahead and voice your opinions on that if you haven't already.**

**As always, leave a review (after all, how else will I know what to put inside of the lemons you read?). This is Ronin signing off.**


	17. Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home

Have you ever had a time where you wanted to cry from smelling the delicious aroma of your mom's homemade food? If not, I don't know if I should envy you or pity you. The entire apartment smelled of seasoned beef and other good stuff.

Calypso immediately rushed to the kitchen to throw in her touches. My mom was a little put off initially, but how can you argue with someone who's been cooking for more than fifty lifetimes?

I wasn't quite sure what to make of Calypso so readily claiming her place in the kitchen. Sure the food she made was fantastic, and I was never going to stop her from doing what she liked, but I was really hoping that maybe I could get her into a new hobby outside of housework.

Now free of the bags that weighed me down, I collapsed on the couch next to Paul to wait for the meal.

"Rough day?" he asked.

"You don't know the half of it."

He chuckled. "And I hope I never will. Sometimes fantasy is better than reality."

"That would imply that I've fantasized about this. No offense, but I haven't exactly had much time on my hands to think about this kind of stuff."

"None taken. And I get what you mean." He eyed me curiously and whispered, "Hey, man to man, how would you rate your performance so far? Being new and all that."

I stared back at him with a bit of abject horror before looking away. "I don't know. You'd have to ask the other girls about that. All I know is I haven't received any complaints yet, save for Annabeth saying she was sore the next day. But she earned that one."

Paul stifled a laugh. "So a rough guy, huh?" He looked over to the kitchen. "So you haven't done anything with your friend Calypso yet?"

I shook my head. "Not for a lack of effort on her part. Let's just say I'm glad you guys weren't at the mall with us."

"So she's got a bit of an exhibitionist streak? Hmm, that may be problematic here."

He turned towards me and put his hand on my shoulder. "You want my recommendation? Try for a shower tonight. That way we won't have to hear everything. Your mom still sees you as her innocent little baby boy. Hearing you do something like that… it would break her heart."

I was taken aback by how Paul regarded this. He was more of an older friend to me than he was a step father. Sure, we've hung out and bonded briefly, but he still didn't quite treat me like a son. Not that I'm the easiest person to raise. But still, it was jarring to have your stepdad give you advice on how to discreetly have sex with someone while around your parents.

He patted my back. "But hey, there's always worse situations. And I don't know about you, but the smell of that food is making my stomach growl."

He and I definitely agreed on that. Whatever my mom and Calypso were doing in the kitchen was making me drowsy from how good it smelled.

"Be right back," I told Paul.

I stood up and went to my bedroom. It looked just about as I would have imagined with me not being there for the past half year. That being said, it was pretty much spotless. Aside from the cracked wallpaper and the carpet that was outdated when my mom was young, the place looked completely fresh. My bed was made, my desk and dresser were clear of junk, my clothes had all been put away. Everything in it made me curious as to how much time passed before my mom went through here. She probably waited months before finally accepting that I may not be coming back. Talk about depressing.

There was one thing that was missing for tonight though. I made my way over to my desk and pulled out a blue candle. It was a gift from my father after the first war. It was enchanted so that the candle wax would never melt and the wick would never burn out. The scent of the deep ocean radiated from the glossy brick. Poseidon told me that it was to remind me of Atlantis, and to use it any time I felt like remembering where my roots were.

I lit the candle and set it on my dresser. Soon my small room was filled with the scent of warm palm beaches and gentle sea winds. Small mixes of tropical fruits blended into it, but would quickly dissipate into a fresh rainy smell.

_Oh, yeah_, I thought to myself. _This is perfect for setting the mood._

I opened the window so the smell wouldn't be overbearing when I came back later that night before heading into my personal bathroom. It was just as clean as my room. It was more akin to a half bathroom due to how small it was, but there was a small walk in shower that I could use.

Nostalgia lane finally passed over me and I returned my focus to why I came back here in the first place. I turned on the faucet to the sink and quickly splashed my face with some water. It didn't seem to do much, so I just stuck my head under the spout and relished in the feeling of the cool water over my face. Before too long, the drowsiness from the day was washed away. Now that I was actually awake, I could be sure that whatever happened, I would have the energy to… occupy Calypso.

Quickly drying myself off, I returned back to the living room to continue chatting with Paul. Somewhere along the lines, we wound up on a topic that I never liked talking about.

"You ever think about going back to school? You know, make up for the lost time?"

"Not really. It seems pretty unfair for now anyways. I'm allowed to leave the island, but the girls can't leave without me. Well, except for my wives and headmistress. Hence the reason Annabeth can still go to Olympus to complete her classes."

Paul nodded his head. "I see what you mean. And it's not like you really need to make much of a living now. Anything you do workwise will probably be out of boredom."

I hadn't really thought on that. He had a point. An eternity on that island with every need catered to would get very boring. Even worse, my girls wouldn't have a choice in the matter about anything they wanted to do. They would spend their eternal lives bored to death with only me as their major source of "entertainment." Maybe I could come up with something to keep them occupied.

"I don't know," I replied. "Guess I'll have to see what the future holds."

* * *

After about another half hour, my mom called for us to sit at the table. If any convincing was required, it wasn't by me. My butt didn't leave the chair for a good five minutes as my mom carried out a crock pot. She opened the lid and… _Ohhhhh, yessss!_

I wasn't sure if this was pure chance or not, but our meal was freshly made beef stew, the same meal Calypso made me during my time on Ogygia, minus the detail of added blue food coloring. Whether or not it was, I found absolutely no reason to complain. The thick blue broth bubbled gently from the heat and was served to me steaming.

Two bowls… okay seven bowls later (don't judge), I was left very satisfied with a sleepy grin plastered across my face. I don't have anything against Katie's cooking or the nymphs', but a son will always choose the cooking of his mother.

"Oh, Calypso," my mom said. "I forgot to mention, that's a lovely dress. Where did you go exactly?"

Calypso turned to me with a lost look. "Um. I don't quite recall the name. Manhattan Mall, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, that's right. I don't remember the name of the specific store, but it was at the mall."

"Hmm," my mom said, "I'll definitely have to go searching. If that gown is anything to go by, the clothes there must be phenomenal. Or maybe it just looks this good because of who's wearing it."

I gave Calypso a knowing smile and she turned away blushing.

"Well, in any case," Paul said, "Let's keep in mind that our funds are probably pretty low after that trip. So for now, tee shirts and jeans are going to be the norm."

"I could talk to a friend of mine on the island," I replied. "She can summon valuable minerals and gems with virtually no thought at all. When I last saw her room, it had literal piles of gems all over the place, just lying around."

My mom interjected, "Percy, we can't ask that of you or your friend. Plus, it would look downright criminal if our money just shot up out of nowhere."

I let my head fall. "Maybe. But I still owe you guys for today. I should at least pay you back for that."

"Using someone else's money?" My mom raised her eyebrow.

My shoulders hunched. "I see what you mean. But I can't just leave you guys hanging while I'm milling in paradise."

A small smile crept onto my moms face. "We'll be fine. Just come by and visit us every now and then and we can call it even."

_Ugh, there is no winning an argument with your mother._ Why can't I ever win unless I say something along the lines of "the world will end if I don't do this stupidly dangerous task?"

"So you're going back tomorrow morning?" my mom asked.

"Yeah. After breakfast. Annabeth will meet us for that."

"And where are you planning on spending the night?" Her eyebrow raised. _This is about to get awkward._

"We were planning on sharing Percy's bed," Calypso said.

_Ouch!_ I could feel the pain in my mom's chest. Her eye twitched a bit, but she held her friendly smile.

"Well then, there's no time to waste. Let's get this dinner cleaned up so we can be ready for tomorrow."

* * *

Remember what I said before about me having no issues doing dishes? Yeah, my mom didn't let that fly. She had me scrubbing them the old fashioned way. I couldn't tell if it was her way of making me pay for the night I was about to have, or if she was trying to make sure I stayed humble. Whatever the case, everything was clean about a half hour later, and my parents left the kitchen to both me and Calypso.

"You have a lovely family," she said.

"Thanks," I replied while putting away the last bowl. I leaned my back against the edge of the counter. "Just wish we didn't have to leave. I've already missed so much time here."

"Perhaps. But you can return at any time you wish."

"Not exactly. There're still a lot of girls on the island that I have to spend time with."

She smiled devilishly. "I know. You must be suffering _so_ much." She leaned in and wrapped her arms around me. "Well, you have one that you can claim who won't offer any resistance. Or should I be a little more aggressive?"

I laughed and shook my head. "Nah, that's fine. Besides, I'd prefer to take you like this."

With that, I grabbed her by the waist and whirled her around before propping her up so her butt rested on the counter. She squealed in surprise, but quickly returned her arms to my shoulders.

"Well, well. If that's how it's going to be…"

She leaned her head down and captured my lips with hers. For a few moments, the familiar tender embrace of her soft lips loosely held mine. I wanted more though, so I pulled her head in for a deeper kiss. A small gasp escaped her, but she offered no resistance. Rather, she seemed to melt like butter as I pressed my tongue into her mouth.

No tongue was involved on her part. She must not have been experienced with this kind of kissing. I'd make sure to change that. For now, I simply explored her mouth and swished my own tongue against hers. Curious to retry a trick that's been used against me, I gently bit her lower lip and sucked on it. Calypso's eyes widened and rolled upwards. She groaned out softly, and her nails began to dig into my shoulder.

I pulled away and smiled up to the panting titaness. Her lips were slightly swollen and her eyes were half lidded. If that wasn't a glorious sight, I don't know what was. I took her hand and kissed the palm softly for a few moments to let her recover.

When I was sure she was ready to go, I pulled her down from the counter and led her back to my room. She followed without a word, though I could feel her pulse racing through her fingertips. After entering my room, I locked the door behind us. Calypso took note of the candle that offered a small amount of light and took a deep whiff.

"Mmm," she sighed, "Definitely a son of the sea god."

I smiled gently and sat her down on the side of my bed. She looked up at me with an innocent gaze. It didn't even faze me. Despite her best efforts, she was nowhere near the caliber of Piper when it came to facial expressions.

Not wanting to disappoint, I leaned down to her for another kiss. She welcomed me by spreading her legs and wrapping one of them around mine. This time, I wasn't as gentle. I pressed down on her lips until she was forced back onto my bed. My hands trailed along her sides and eventually came to a rest on her waist. She didn't seem to mind my more aggressive stance, as she wrapped her arms under mine and held her hands against my shoulder blades.

The kiss grew in heat as Calypso started returning favors with her own tongue. She was a quick learner for sure. Wanting to stay ahead of the game, I pulled away and started going for her ear. A small whimper told me that this was definitely a soft spot. I'll keep that in mind.

Not wanting to push her overboard quite yet, I lowered my head to her neck. She leaned her head back, giving me full access to take her. I dragged my lips against the soft flesh and rubbed my nose against her windpipe. Her dry swallowing didn't go unnoticed by me, nor did her panting.

That's when I took notice of her collarbone. I thought to myself curiously about if I really wanted to do it, but mentally slapped myself for even considering otherwise. Seconds later, I moved over her exposed collarbone and took it into my mouth. Her soft flesh was divine and smelled slightly of almonds. I sucked hard on the skin and nipped at it, warranting a much more vocal response from Calypso.

"Nnngghh! Percy, please don't stop! Touch me more! Don't stop!"

Her nails dug deeper into my back as she hunched forward, her lips mere inches from my ears. I could hear her pants and moans as I continued sucking on that sweet spot by her shoulder. Small whimpers spurred me on as I voraciously indulged in her soft skin. Soon her legs were completely wrapped around my waist and she held me tight.

Finally satisfied, I pulled away and a very dark purple bruise rested on her collarbone. My signature mark that left only one meaning. For sure, no one was going to miss seeing that tomorrow. She heaved out, but refused to let me go. I gave her some time to calm herself.

"I've yearned to be touched like this for so long," she whispered.

_Hmm, that gives me an idea._

"Lean back," I said gently. "Whatever you do, just stay relaxed."

She looked at me with wide eyes, but nodded shyly before laying back down. I pushed her legs off of me and knelt down in front of her. When she felt me lift the skirt to her dress, her breath hitched.

"Perc… ah… mmmfff!"

She squealed out as I nipped and sucked along her inner thighs, but she didn't once try and push me away. I worked my way along her supple leg, nipping and kissing it slowly to prolong her pleasure.

"Percy, please!" she cried.

_Oh, no Calypso. You aren't getting out of this that easily_.

"Shh," I cooed.

I darted my tongue out and used it to tease her all the more as I gently nibbled at her thigh. Soon her legs were trembling. Her hands were tangled into my hair as she tried to force me closer. Her legs were wrapped tightly around my head.

Still not quite ready to give her what she wanted, I paced myself. My tongue traveled along her soft thighs until I finally reached the apex of her legs. I was in for a surprise when I took notice of what exactly what she was wearing. It was the same piece of lingerie that she teased me with earlier that day. _Oh, you little minx_.

I nuzzled my nose against the fabric and shot my tongue against her pelvis at a quick rate. My best move, though, was when I shifted my head just off center from between her legs. Just along the rim of where her pantyline reached her inner thigh, I suckled vehemently. Based on her reaction, that did exactly what I wanted it to do.

"Percy, please! Friend to friend! Lover to lover! Concubine to master! I beg you! Please stop teasing me!"

Even my cruel heart melted at her pleas. I pulled my head out from under her dress and took a look at her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her hair was a mess. Sweat gleamed on her skin in the soft candlelight.

I gave her a soft smile. "How about wife to husband?"

Her eyes slowly widened as she took in my question. Her hand went to cover her mouth as her face flushed. With a teary smile, she nodded her head fervently.

I pulled myself from her legs' embrace and took her lips in mine. Her soft tremblings were easily some of the most gentle signs of lust that I had ever felt. My hand caressed her cheek, and she sighed into the kiss with her hand in my hair.

"How about we get you more comfortable?" I asked as I pulled away from the kiss.

She nodded bashfully, so I pulled her up from the bed. She stood completely still as I unfastened the bronze medallions pinning the dress up. The shoulder straps went slack and her dress fell down her body and to the carpet with a small _thump_.

Dressed only in her lingerie, I couldn't help but admire her immortal beauty. Her slender frame deceptively concealed her toned curves. Now that I could actually see them, her breasts appeared larger than I recalled. By no means were they huge, not even close to the largest of the other girls, but they were still impressive. I was curious as to how she managed to conceal them when all she wore were loose fitting dresses.

She eyed me shyly as I gazed upon her lithe body. "Do you like it?"

I looked her in her dark eyes and made no attempt to conceal my smile. "I love it."

I pressed her forward again so she fell back onto the bed. After a moment of thought, I grabbed my pillow and pressed it underneath her tailbone. As sensitive as she was to the teasing, something told me she was going to need it.

I shifted myself back up to her and gently massaged her lips with mine. My hands trailed up her body before coming to a rest on her covered bosom. Calypso let out a soft coo as I gave her a gentle squeeze. Her arms traveled up my back before she let out a small grunt.

"It's not fair if you get to see so much of me, but I don't get to see any of you."

I gave a humored sigh and stood up to pull off my shirt. Calypso bit her lips as the piece of clothing hit the floor, leaving my torso exposed. Her hungry gaze was alluring; very different from the innocent and even the playfully flirty versions of Calypso that I'd seen up to this point. Not better or worse. Just different.

After her moment of staring, she undid her bra and let it fall to the floor as well. My mouth watered at the sight before me. Not a moment passed before I tackled her back to the bed and showered her breasts with kisses. My tongue slid around her supple chest before lingering on her nipple. She seemed much more comfortable with this than she was with the teasing, as she gently stroked my hair.

Enjoying the attention, I took a nipple into my mouth and softly nursed on it, gaining a soft groan from Calypso's throat. One of my hands took hold of her other breast and massaged it thoroughly as my other trailed down her body and massaged her pelvis, just out of reach of what she really wanted.

She whimpered in frustration, but I didn't relent. While looking her straight in the eyes, I gently bit down on her nipple and tugged at it. Her gasps rang throughout the room. A small part of me thought back to Paul's suggestion from earlier, but there was one thing that I wanted to do first.

"Where do you want me?" I asked. My gaze didn't falter and she huffed.

She responded by grabbing my wrist on her pelvis and tried pushing it downward. When I didn't budge, she gave me a pleading look. Okay, now her expressions were starting to get to me.

"I can think of something you'll like even better than that," I said. "Would you like that?"

She quickly nodded as a small whimper left her throat.

Happy with her response, I gave her breast one last kiss before slithering down her body. After passing her hips, I curled my fingers around her panties and dragged the small piece of cloth down her smooth legs. Her breath hitched as her womanhood became exposed to the air. I was in for a shock when I saw the large stain on my sheets. This girl was seriously worked up.

With one finger, I slowly brushed through her folds. Calypso began whimpering like a puppy with the slight contact. My finger was dripping with just one stroke. _Oh this is going to be good_. I gently blew a cold breath over her clit, causing her hips to buck out into the air.

"Percy," she cried, "Don't be so mean!"

I chuckled and set her thighs over my shoulders. I quickly sucked on the tender spot where her inner legs met her pelvis. Just after, I finally gave Calypso what she wanted as I drove my face into her juicy snatch. The cry she let out was tantalizing.

Her taste was definitely more tangy than my previous attempts at this. I quickly realized it was because of how pent up she was. Moments after I drove my tongue around and past her vulva, the tartness vanished and was replaced with a much more fragrant taste. It was fresh and sweet, like a recently skinned mango.

Within seconds, my mouth was nearly overflowing as she writhed under me. Her whimpers turned to drawn out moans as she relished in the pleasure I gave her. My tongue zigzagged between her slit and flicked her clit, causing her to buck her hips out and pull me further in.

"By the mercy of Erebus, please don't stop," she pleaded.

I realized that she really needed a strong finish, so I decided to test out something that I recalled hearing about a long time ago.

"Cal, you're going to have to trust me," I said. I picked up her panties and held them to her. "Put these in your mouth and don't let them out."

Her face paled, but she did as she was told. She looked at me with a mix of fear and lust as I began my new plan.

One hand crawled up between her legs and pushed two fingers into her dripping love canal. The other hand wrapped around her leg and pressed down on her pelvis, just opposite of her tailbone. I looked up to Calypso, who now had a near drunk expression. Her eyes were half lidded and she swayed back and forth to keep herself upright.

_Here goes nothing_, I thought to myself.

My fingers curled upward and grazed a spongy patch of nerves inside of her cervix before roughly circling them. My other hand pressed deeper into her pelvis, applying as much pressure as I could without hurting her. To cap it all off, I took her clit between my lips and sucked it… hard.

The result? Calypso screamed out, barely muffled by her makeshift gag. She thrashed violently on the bed and kicked her legs out wildly. Her hands scrunched up the sheets as she tried to pull herself away from me. Her hips bucked severely, but I held her in place. It was like trying to wrestle Nereus all over again, only much more enticing. Despite her efforts to get away from me, she kept the gag in her mouth. She wanted more, she just couldn't handle it.

I kept up my actions for maybe half a minute before she seized up underneath me and let out a guttural scream. Her body gyrated against my face. Her hands dug painfully into my scalp. A wave of shivering crashed through her as she was enveloped by a carnal lust. It became too much and her juices exploded all over my face. She hunched over while still caught in a seizure of bliss and fell to the floor in the fetal position. Her body trembled as a few last bits of her fluids squirted onto the carpet.

I never experienced quite that much of a reaction before. Remind me to try it again some time. When she could finally move again, she rested on her hands and knees, heaving for all it was worth. Her breasts swayed with every movement. Her back arched with every breath. She was still shivering from the aftershock.

"You can let go of the panties now."

She simply opened her mouth and let them drop to the floor. A thick line of drool followed as she continued panting from the experience. Tears streamed from her eyes and ran until they dripped off the tip of her nose.

"Three thousand years," she finally said. "I have been kept in the dark to that sensation for over three thousand years."

She looked at me with teary eyes. "I don't know if the Fates are cruel for denying me this pleasure for so long, or if they're unyieldingly kind for finally giving you to me. Had I known the extent of this before…" She trailed off as she tried to regain her breath.

I moved over to hug her. Her breathing slowly settled and her heart rate lessened. _Please tell me that this was a good reason to get big headed… No? Fine…_

"Why don't we go take a shower," I whispered. "We made a bit of a mess."

She nodded her head and allowed me to pull her off of the floor. With her wobbly legs, she wrapped her arm around me as I hobbled us to the bathroom. Calypso rested on the toilet as I warmed up the water. In no time at all, a nice steam began to fill the room.

"After you," I said.

Calypso giggled. "Such a gentleman."

She waddled into the shower and I quickly followed, standing behind her. Using my powers, I manipulated the spray of the shower so it would cover us both. Fortunately, the shower was a little cramped, so neither of us could entirely wash ourselves.

"Well," Calypso cooed, "You have a helpless girl naked and wet right in front of you. What are you going to do to her?"

I gave a sly smirk. "Hmm. I have a few ideas."

Without saying anything else, I poured some shampoo into my hands and began lathering it into her hair. Her head swayed as my fingers dug into her thick caramel locks. She leaned back against me and moaned softly, just enjoying the massage I gave her.

"You're very good with your hands," she murmured. "I think I found another reason to be jealous of Annabeth."

I snickered. "You do realize that you can come to me anytime, right? Especially now that you've agreed to be my wife."

She grazed her nails along my thigh, before taking hold of something that's been aching for her touch. "Trust me, Percy. You don't want to give me that kind of freedom."

Accepting her challenge, I leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "Try me."

She responded by rubbing my length in her hand. It wasn't that great to be completely honest, so I decided to help her out.

"Here," I said, "Try this."

I lathered her hands up with some soap. That reduced the friction, allowing her hand to slide more smoothly along my member.

"Try twisting your hand as you— Oh, yeah…" I sighed in relief as she took my advice.

I didn't want her to feel left out, so I got my hands sudsy and began massaging her breasts. They were truly magnificent. So soft and supple. Even better was how much Calypso seemed to enjoy it. She would let out some low groans as I worked my hands into her and would in turn quicken her pace with stroking me.

While I may have loved her succulent bosom, I wanted some more vocals from the titaness. I pushed myself forward and reached down, caressing her velvety vulva with my soapy hand.

She bit her lips and let out a slight whimper as my fingers pierced her core. Her head fell back onto my shoulder as she let out a long sigh. Our bodies swayed together in the downfall of the water.

"It's about time you got something out of this," she said while pushing my hand away.

She turned around to face me and squatted, pressing her butt to her heels. The innocent Calypso was all gone. The face she gave was absolutely succubine. Her deep dark eyes lewdly gazed up at me. Her golden brown hair clung to her soaked body. A succulent smile danced on her lips.

Without a word, she opened her mouth and slid my shaft down her throat, staring me in the eyes as she did. She held it there for a moment before slowly pulling me back out. As she pulled off, her tongue stuck out, tapping the flesh as she moved along. I realized with a start that she was experimenting. She wanted to know what got me off, what felt best for me.

She hit the jackpot when her tongue rubbed a small spot on the underside of my length. Just where the tip met the shaft, there was a very sensitive nerve, and she knew immediately that she scored as I nearly lost my balance.

A devilish grin worked its way onto her face as she discovered my soft spot. She returned the organ back into her warm mouth, but only the tip. I gulped as she suckled the head of my penis while pressing the tip of her tongue against that special spot, flicking it slightly before swirling her tongue around my head.

Just for extra credit, she took my balls into her hand and massaged them with her delicate fingers. All of those years at the loom must have worked wonders, because she managed to put me on edge quickly. For nearly ten minutes, I panted and groaned from her actions. I had to press my hands against the walls of the shower to keep my balance.

There was no way I was going to last. _And her sultry expression, ugh!_ I could bear it. As gently as I could, I pushed her head off of me with a shaky hand.

"Please," I quietly begged, "Stop."

She pouted. "You didn't like it?"

"It's not that," I panted, "There's just no way I'm gonna last with how good that feels. And right now, I _really_ want to get to the next part."

Her pupils dilated, nearly turning her eyes completely black. She bit her lips and stood up, scraping her nails up my torso as she went. Once she was fully standing, she backed up until she was nestled in a corner of the shower. For a moment, I thought she was scared and backing out. Those thoughts were dashed when she gave me a lascivious glare and started rubbing her hands along her body and playfully biting her own fingers.

"Then come and get me, Master. I'm all yours."

_Oh, those words. Never tell me those words._ I rushed forward and forced myself against her lean body. Taking a fistful of hair into my hand, I roughly kissed her. A small squeal escaped her as I picked up her leg and brushed the tip of my erection against her soaking folds.

Her half lidded expression told me exactly what she wanted. No more teasing. No more foreplay. Just the most carnal acts possible.

With a soft growl, I pushed myself deep into her welcoming crevice. As slick as she was, it took very little effort on my part to bury myself deep inside of her. Her quivering muscles soon relaxed around me, letting me begin a steady thrusting motion.

Soon the room was filled with the sounds of water crashing on the floor and skin crashing against skin. I took Calypso gently at first, but they way her hips bucked in response to my thrusts drove me to move harder.

She clung to me tightly, gripping my shoulders and driving her nails into my skin. Her teeth were gritted and her small whimpers were lost in the maelstrom of shower water. A familiar musky scent permeated the room, driving me on to pleasure her.

With her body elevated against the wall, I drove my head down and captured her breast in my mouth. Her gasp was melodic, though concerning.

"Should I slow down?"

"No! Please, don't you dare slow down!"

I needed to get her off as intensely as I could. My own release was coming very soon. _How could I push her overboard?... That's it!_

Lowering her a bit, I drove my fingers into the soft spots along her pelvis. A drawn out groan told me this was going to work. Her legs tightly wrapped around my waist to pull me closer as I pounded into her. She just made this much easier.

Leaning in against her ear, I huskily whispered. "Do you want to cum? Do you want to experience the same pleasure as before?"

She shuddered out. "Gods, yes. My insides are churning. I'm so close. Please don't stop!"

Quite the opposite, I sped up. My muscles groaned and screamed for me to stop, but I was not going to hold back on giving Calypso the pleasure she craved. Her sopping slit spasmed around me as my length was driven in and out. She emitted a shriek of pleasure and wrapped her arms tightly around my back. Her face was driven into my shoulder, allowing me to finally get to the target I desired.

Her ear. A small spot, just before the top of where her ear curved. That was where she was most sensitive from what I could tell. With one last ditch effort, I quickly latched my mouth onto that spot and nibbled, praying that I could hold out long enough to get her off.

"Percyyyy!"

Her scream nearly deafened me. My work was finally complete. Her body convulsed in waves, each one nearly throwing her out of my arms, but I held her tightly. A strangled choking sound echoed through the room as she quivered around me, finally granting me the release I so desperately needed.

With a final grunt, I buried myself as deep as I could go before shooting my load into her womb. My throbbing erection pulsed as I released a healthy does of semen into my lover.

Exhausted from the exertion, I pulled back from Calypso and we both collapsed against the walls of the shower. Heavy droplets, now cold from how long the shower had been running, splashed my face. Not even they could wash away my drowsiness. One look at Calypso and I could tell she was done in. A small, white rivulet dripped from her nether regions, only to be washed away by the cold water.

I pulled myself to my feet and turned off the showerhead. To the best of my abilities, I hauled Calypso off of the floor and we both struggled to stay standing.

"If that was a dream," she said, "I don't want to wake up."

I tried to laugh, but the effort made me light headed. Willing us both dry nearly had me drop dead on the floor, but we managed to make it to the bed. Both of us were too exhausted to care about clothes. Mere seconds passed before we were both tucked under the blankets. My last memory of that moment was when Calypso wrapped her arms around me and pressed her nose between my shoulder blades.

"I love you," she said.

I tried to reply, but exhaustion took me before I could muster a response.

* * *

**A/N - Well, well, your patience has finally paid off. I may have gotten a little carried away with the teasing, but I found it all the more endearing. You'll notice that most, if not all, of the first time sex scenes with the non-nymph characters will reflect their relationship at that point. Such is the case with Piper being desperately passionate and Calypso being a nonstop tease for Percy all day long, so he returned the favor. The same trend will continue for the future girls to come. I personally find reflecting their actual relationships make for a much more satisfying smut scene.**

**So, what did you think of the marriage proposal there? Too early for one? Perfect timing? Wrong person? Well, maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong. Maybe with Calypso being his biggest "what if," Percy was too afraid to risk losing another chance. Just maybe. Or maybe there is more to it. Who knows? I do, of course!**

**Let your thoughts ring true! What troubles will arise? Will Percy have a peaceful return back to Galinios? How will Annabeth take to seeing Sally and Paul? Stay tuned and find out!**


	18. Never Gonna Sleep Again

Never Gonna Sleep Again

Do you remember how I said that my time sleeping on Galínios was entirely without dreams? The same couldn't be said now that I was back in New York.

To my frustration, I stood within an annoyingly familiar location, absolute nothingness. A thick, inky darkness surrounded me, locking me in place. In what I can only assume was a far off distance, thick clouds of varying colors drew nearer. With no other choice, I stared on as the prismatic clouds rumbled ever closer.

By the time they reached me, the clouds molded themselves into vaguely humanoid figures. The ghostly apparitions offered no discernable features.

"Everything is still going according to plan?" A haze obscured the small nuances of the voice, though it still seemed eerily familiar.

"Of course! I've never had such fun in millennia!"

"You have your fun, but don't forget to keep up your end of the bargain."

"Oh please, you loved watching that girl squirm."

"True. I just wish it were my hands around her throat."

"Patience. You have enough vendettas to go around. Plus, I need to make sure he gets to enjoy himself before we drive him further in."

"Yes. I must say, he has proven fairly troublesome in his loyalties. I just want to have this finished already, so those wenches get what they deserve!"

"Calm yourself. The first step went well. Now we need to continue splitting and tying bonds."

A soft rumbling let out, an all too familiar sign of their laughter.

"That's my specialty! Too long has it been since my mortals learn of my power!"

"Last time we worked with you, many who believed in us turned inward. We'd prefer not to endure another civil war."

* * *

Fortunately or unfortunately, the scene melted away before I could become any more confused. I now found myself standing in a field of moonlace. The silvery flowers let off a vibrant glow under the cloudy night sky. I turned to look around, and found myself gazing at a very animalistic battle.

Two birds of some sort were locked in combat, one clearly much bigger than the other. One would think that this would have ended quickly, but the smaller bird let out a cry that instantly incapacitated the larger and sent it falling into the meadow.

I rushed over to the downed avian to see that it was a barn owl. Mottled gold feathers encompassed its face, and its talons were as sharp as steel. Its stormy grey eyes pierced through the night, paralyzing me on the spot as it thrashed around on the ground. The very meadow itself seemed to be fighting as well. The moonlace flowers let off noxious fumes and the stalks entwined around the owl, strangling it.

_I need to save the owl. I need to stop this fighting. _

The other bird swooped down and attacked the owl. It looked to be a dove of sorts. Gold and white feathers clung to its body, shining beautifully in the night. It continued letting out its cries and nearly knocked me unconscious. The owl finally managed to slash its way from the moonlace's grip and took to the skies again, viciously pursuing the dove.

_I need to calm them down._ I thought to myself. _There has to be—_

My thoughts were interrupted by a thunderous bray. I turned and was nearly knocked off my feet as a flaming horse raced past me. It was a light tan color, roughly the hue of peanuts. However, it had a mane of blood red fire that wickedly billowed from its head to its back. A crimson tail lashed out, setting the field of moonlace ablaze.

The animals and field seemed to war with one another. The owl raked its talons across anything that it could, including me. The dove would sing, incapacitating everyone, before dive bombing us with a bronze beak. The horse let off plumes of flame and smoke, burning the field and strangling the birds that flew above it. The field itself let off stronger fumes and lashed out at the horse, entangling it before the vines burnt to a crisp.

There was no way I could save them all and myself. The flames were too big, the fumes were too powerful, the songs were too intoxicating, the talons were too sharp.

I collapsed to the field as they fought, my ears ringing with the sound of their conflict. I couldn't stop them. There was no happy ending to this. In my misery, I lay there, praying for the flames to reach me.

* * *

My vision blackened before I found myself in another scene. I was trapped in a small jail cell. The cold cobblestones of the floor were oddly warm to my feet. A dark presence towered over me. I felt short of breath, and an immense cold pressure squeezed me, driving my bones further towards a singularity as it stretched the skin over my muscles. I writhed to escape the source, though I failed miserably. In my thrashing, my eyes left the shadow and settled on another in the room. A second figure stood there, terrifying me. My eyes widened and I audibly choked in absolute horror.

"Oh, don't mind her for now," the figure said. "She'll get to you in a bit."

The figure threw me across the cell and into the bars. I crashed into the metal wall, flaring pain throughout my body. My ankle felt broken. Blood dripped from my nose.

I cried out and struggled to breathe, but I wasn't able to rest. The force immediately came up behind me and yanked back on my hair. I gasped out and reached for the bars, trying to pull myself out of the steel grip.

The force thrust me forward, slamming me face first into the bars. I screamed in the agony wrought upon me. My nose was broken and my face was streaming with blood from several gashes along my forehead. For once, I felt truly cold. Despite my raw throat, I did my best to speak.

"I… I'm sorry," I gagged out.

I was twisted around and tossed into a corner of the cell. I landed with a sickening _CRACK_ as my left arm splintered against the iron bars. The dark figure prowled up to me and knelt down. Its shadowy head moved forward and settled right next to my ear.

"Oh, no you're not," it whispered. "Not yet."

The following moments would scar me for eternity. Dark fists slammed into my face and cracked bone with every strike. My vision was lost as a blow across the left side of my face fractured my eye socket. My lips were busted and left partially dangling from my mouth. My neck cracked as my spine was forced to bend in ways it never should have. Blood flew from me in spurts and flashes. One moment, a small pool of my blood stained my clothes. The next, I was laying in a puddle half the size of my body. I was weak and powerless to defend myself.

The torment finally stopped as the beastly figure stood up to admire its work.

I was left grasping one of the bars in the little corner of the cell. It was my one item of comfort and direction; a lone piece of iron that sent a chill up my spine. I shivered and wept silent tears. My nose bubbled blood as I hyperventilated. My left eye was swollen shut.

The figure pulled away and left the cell before turning to the other in the room.

"Help yourself," it said.

The other figure approached me with something in its hands. Fear swept over me as I realized this pain was only beginning. I tried to say something, but my words were stuck in my broken throat.

An eternity seemed to pass as the figure struck me. A metallic sting crawled along my body whenever the blow landed. Every strike broke something inside of me. I could feel my body shutting down. The figure held nothing back.

Finally finding my voice, I sobbed and screamed until my voice was raw. The weapon cracked along my skin and bloodied every inch that it touched. In my small haze of thought, only one thing came to mind.

_Of course a slave will obey the will of their master._

* * *

I woke with a start and threw myself out of bed. My hands clawed at my carpeted floor as I hastily dragged myself to the bathroom. The light flickered on and my head plunged into the bowl of my toilet. I wretched as my stomach unleashed the contents of my previous meal. Strong convulsions passed through my body as my gut twisted, the images of my nightmares branded themselves into my memory no matter how hard I tried to push them aside. A rancid burn stained my throat as my stomach was emptied of its contents.

"Percy?"

I looked up to see Calypso standing naked in the doorway, her hand rested on the frame. My nose bubbled and my eyes teared as I stared back at her.

"I'm a monster," I said to no one in particular. "I should be cast down to Tartarus for what I've done."

Calypso cautiously approached me before kneeling down and pressing her head against mine. She grabbed some toilet paper and wiped the mucus, tears, and drool from my face.

"You are no monster, Percy." Her soothing voice calmed my frayed nerves, but it did little to ease the pit in my stomach.

She gently pulled me away from the toilet and walked me out of the bathroom after flushing it. Slowly, but surely, we were redressed in our clothes from the previous day. We made our way down the hall and into the kitchen. Within seconds, she handed me a glass of water.

"Drink," she said.

Despite me not feeling like it, I did as she told me to. The cool water calmed my heartbeat and mildly eased the knot of tension in my gut.

Calypso's dark eyes studied me as I finished the drink. Her stance was friendly, yet reserved. Her lips were painfully neutral, making it impossible for me to know what she was thinking.

"What did you dream of?" she asked.

My head hung low. I wasn't quite sure even I could fully comprehend my dreams. Then again, that's just how demigods live. We don't have the luxury of peaceful sleep. Regardless, I turned my head away and shrunk in my shoulders, trying to make myself as small as possible.

Calypso wasn't taking that as an answer. She walked up to me and grabbed my shoulders.

"Percy, what did you dream? I want to help you, but you have to help me first."

Her dark eyes and gentle touch made it impossible to keep my guard up. I confessed my dreams to her. Though her face remained impassive as I spoke, I could see her hands tense up when I described the battle on the field of moonlace.

"It appears you have been blasted with the breath of Cerberus," she said.

I tilted my head. "What?"

"You have dreamt of the past, present, and future. Your past actions now haunt you. The present words of others are heard by you. A warning of what may come to pass was revealed to you."

Her logic was weird, but that's how things work in the Greek world.

"I guess. But what do they mean? And why are you still so supportive of me after what I did to Khione? Aren't you even a little worried that I might snap and do that to you?"

A sly smirk carved across her face. "Perhaps. But let's say that you do attack me. I would be powerless to stop you anyways. So I may as well try and support you to the best of my abilities."

That was actually a more depressing thought than I'm sure she intended. All of my girls, even Annabeth, would be absolutely powerless if I decided to brutalize them. Nothing I did to them could ever result in them fighting back. So far, I was already showing signs of doing that very thing.

"Also," she continued, "I know your actions were not your own. This dream of yours may have included the deity responsible for the enchantment. Perhaps there are gods who wish to see you suffer because of the harem. Or perhaps they are lashing out because they can't take it put on the ones who pushed it onto you."

I thought back on it. So far, the only ones that came to mind were Artemis and Hestia. Artemis was against this from the very beginning. As for Hestia, she admitted that she wasn't a supporter of this either. Still, it wouldn't explain why they would turn me into a sadistic torturer. Or why they would manipulate the lives of others at all. It just didn't seem like their kind of play.

"Okay," I said. "What about the fight that I saw?"

Calypso pursed her lips. "You are no fool, Percy. I believe you know very well what that dream was entailing."

I sighed. She was somewhat right. I figured it had to do with something in the future about a major conflict. But I couldn't figure for the life of me what all of the animals were fighting for.

"Maybe you could offer your input for that? I only have a vague idea of what it could mean…"

Calypso shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Percy, let's sit down for this."

Leaving no room for argument, she strode out into the living room and took a seat on the couch. When she saw that I was still in the kitchen, she patted the spot next to her with a stern look on her face.

Begrudgingly, I walked over and sat next to her. It's not that I didn't want to be with her. Quite the opposite. I was just anxious about what her insight would offer. I took notice of the moonlace garden in the window. Now they bloomed beautifully, though my dream certainly marred my thoughts on them.

She took my hand into hers and sighed. "Percy, as I said, this was a dream of events that haven't come to pass. From what you described, I would imagine several people close to you will be on potentially hostile terms with one another. And unless there is someone else you know of that moonlace would represent, I believe I will be one of those people."

I could only stare, dumbfounded. "But that doesn't make sense."

"Doesn't it?" she asked, "Percy, there are plenty of reasons for people to be at odds with others. I, for one, can easily see why I may be in conflict with some of the others in the future."

I grimaced. "By 'others,' you don't mean—"

"Yes, Percy, I do. I have harbored a jealousy towards Annabeth ever since I heard her name. You would call out for her so often in your sleep that it broke my heart. When you left, I… I found myself cursing Annabeth. That someone else could have won your heart before I had the chance…"

"Cal," I said, "that was in the past. Even then, I don't think Annabeth is holding that against you. I for sure am not."

She glared at me. "You don't get it, Percy. Even today, I am _still_ jealous of Annabeth."

That was news to me.

"What? Why?"

"Because I honestly feel like she doesn't deserve you. Now, I may not be in the best state to judge. After all, I have not seen everything you two have done together. Nor will I ever know the extremities you have gone to for each other. However, based on what I have seen, she seems to be more like a parent to you than a partner."

Thinking back on it, Piper said something similar. She remarked on how I shouldn't have to be afraid of Annabeth. But then again, if someone was screwing with my love life…

"Okay," I said. "But that doesn't explain why you would be jealous of her. I already asked you to be my wife. You're on the same level as her."

"Am I?" she asked. "Let's face it. No one will ever truly be on the same level as Annabeth. Despite the fact that so far I have only seen you go to her for permission, she is still the one that outranks everyone. Let me ask, where is she when you need her nowadays?"

"At Olympus. Taking care of literal god level tasks. She can't just bail on that."

"Nor am I saying that she should. What I am saying is that so far, I have yet to see you go to her for anything other than to ask for her permission to simply spend the night with your mother. That is not something that I would consider healthy."

I was at a loss for words. I wanted to keep arguing to defend Annabeth. Honestly, I was now seeing the spite that Calypso held. But I also couldn't say that this was just coincidence. The fact that both her and Piper were both saying something about this must have meant more than I was willing to admit.

"Well… that explains your spot in the dream. What about the others?"

Calypso frowned. "Can you truly think of no others who would fight over you?"

"Well. The owl is most definitely Annabeth." I looked at Calypso and she nodded for me to continue. "The dove could be Piper. But I don't know who the horse is. That's a symbol of Poseidon."

"Not exactly. The way you described it, I would have first assumed Helios. However, given the likelihood of that, I believe it would be more reasonable to assume a child of a war god."

My eyebrows furrowed. "But Ares didn't…" That's when it hit me.

_Reyna_.

It would make perfect sense for her to be in conflict with the others, especially Piper. I knew it. Things were going to get ugly between everyone. I'm just surprised that Rachel wasn't in this toss up.

I looked Calypso in the eyes. "So you now have a premonition that you're going to be in conflict with the others, and you're just going to accept it?"

She shrugged. "What else would you have me do? Percy, I can't just put aside my own feelings for you. I finally have someone to call mine after thousands of years. There's no way I would let you go without a fight."

"But you won't have to. None of you will. I could easily make all of you my wives and end the conflict there."

"You could try. However, that will not end the conflict between everyone. Take it from me. As I said, I will not let you go without a fight. However, I do not believe that it will be a battle of fists that ensues between us. But rather… a battle of other sorts."

Her flirty gaze made me realize exactly what she was getting at. They weren't going to fight for me, they were going to compete for my affections. I can't say that really surprised me. The moment they were all thrown into this harem, I knew it wouldn't be too long before some conflict arose between them.

"Then what do you suppose I do about it?"

She smirked. "Honestly? Enjoy what happens. No matter what we are willing to do, I feel that you will win regardless. Who knows? Perhaps this could be a fun competition between all of us. I know very well that I'll do what I can to keep hold of your affections."

With that, she leaned her head against my shoulder.

"Speaking of which," she continued. "Were you serious about your request? Or was that just a 'heat of the moment' type of situation?"

I leaned my head against hers and took her hand into my own. "Of course I meant it."

"... But why? Why me? Surely you are closer to everyone else."

"Well, for one thing, you above all of us deserve some freedom after spending so long in isolation. Also, I gave up an opportunity to spend an eternity with you once. I was given a second chance. There is no way in Hades that I won't take it."

Her lips curled into a smile against my neck. She let out a soft breath and passed silently into a slumber. I don't know when exactly it happened, but the long day and night finally took its hold and put me to sleep. My head hit the cushions of the couch and Calypso rested on top of me, gently breathing against my chest.

* * *

**A/N - Dun, dun, duuuunnn! And the plot thickens. Maybe, just _maybe_ the trip with Calypso held a bit more weight to it than some may have given it credit for. I know this seems like a short chapter to take four days to post. I was planning on uploading this last night, but I got called into work. Yeah, so that's a thing. Basically put, I'm running on nothing but willpower at this point. Four hours of sleep in seventy two hours is nothing new for me, but I don't have to like it.**

**Regardless, I hope you guys like the revelations made, and the backwards karma of Percy being on the receiving end of his own beating. Like I said several chapters ago, I include the darker content for a reason. You'll notice how it affects Percy in due time, but for now, he is realizing just how terrifying he can be. And here I go, explaining the chapters away. You don't need that.**

**Seriously, love you guys. Certain reviewers (*cough* SinfulTurtle *cough*) who have been consistent and lengthy with their reviews (plus extremely kind words and genuine interest) honestly make me look forward to every update. But just like Percy's exhaustingly long day, this author's note must come to an end.**

**Kind of surprised no one called me out for not putting in my usual send off. To be fair, it was late, and I was being rushed.**

**Regardless (yes, another paragraph starting with "regardless"), I hope you guys like where this story is going. Who are these figures? What could they possibly want with our poor Percy? All questions to be answered down the line. Or maybe not... As always, leave a review. This is Ronin signing off.**


	19. But Those Were My Fries

But Those Were My Fries

When I next woke up, I found a camera staring me in the face._ FLASH. Ow! Okay, I'm awake!_

Paul and my mom stood in front of me, taking in the sight of Calypso passed out on top of my chest. I jerked from the flash, abruptly waking the titaness from her sleep.

"Huh? Wha?" Calypso looked around aimlessly before her gaze landed on my parents. Her eyes went wide and she immediately began covering herself.

"Ahh! Wait! Don't look!"

I rested my hand on her back and chuckled. "It's alright. No need to freak out. You've still got your clothes on"

She finally realized that she did have clothes on and dropped her arms, her face beet red.

"Well," Paul said, "now that you guys are up, let's go ahead and get ready to meet Annabeth."

I turned to the clock and read the time. _Ten thirty?! Crap, that's really late! Well, all things considered, I used to wake up at noon. But still, not a smart idea to keep your girlfriend waiting._

As if on cue, a cloud of mist appeared in front of us. A ripple in the light gave way to my Wise Girl, staring at us with a huge smirk on her face.

"Morning, sleepyhead. Hey... Calypso."

"Annabeth," Calypso greeted.

"So, are you guys actually planning on meeting or not? Hephaestus is already scheduling for me to have late night classes because of this."

"Crap," I said. "Sorry about that. Yeah, we'll be up and ready in a little bit. Anywhere you want to go in particular?"

"Hmm. Le Parker Meridien? I'll buy. My treat to you guys."

I laughed. "I take in you're in a burger mood?"

"Just a bit."

"Annabeth," my mom interjected, "you don't need to treat us. Just knowing you guys are safe is enough."

"I almost agree with you on that," she replied. "But if I know Seaweed Brain, money is probably pretty light after that shopping trip."

I smiled sheepishly. "You know me too well."

She shrugged. "Eh. That and Hazel was clearing out her room. Decided to pass some gems out to everyone. Do you realize the trade in value of a black diamond in the Hermes catalog? I mean, seriously. It's like—"

"Annabeth, you're doing it again."

"Huh?" she asked intelligently. "Oh. Right. Rambling again. Anyways, I've got more than enough to buy us a year's supply of meals from that place, so don't worry about it."

My mom looked pained, but finally relented. "Just don't let Percy get carried away."

"Wouldn't bet on it, Sally. See you guys in about an hour and a half."

* * *

It didn't take me very long to get ready. Though my mom wouldn't let me leave without a very thorough inspection.

"Did you brush your teeth?"

"Yes."

"And did you floss the back of your mouth?"

"Yes."

"What about deodorant? You know how you start to smell when—"

"Mom!"

Before too long, I was waiting in the living room with Paul as the other two applied some finishing touches.

"You know," Paul said, "I probably should have told you to turn on the radio last night as well."

"Wait… you guys heard us?"

"Oh yeah. Quite the audio performance."

He held out his fist and I awkwardly bumped it with a red face. "How did mom take it?"

"Initially? She was in tears. Funnily enough though, after the first half hour, she started cheering you on."

I wasn't quite sure what to make of that. It's not every day that you learn your mom is actively supporting your sex life. Speaking of which, she and Calypso came out of the hallway. Both of them looked ready for a day in the park.

"Well," my mom said, "let's go."

* * *

I must have received the blessing from the god of traffic or something. We made great time in Paul's beat up prius.

"You sure you don't want me to replace that hood?"

"What, are you kidding? It makes for a great conversation piece."

We pulled up to the hotel and made our way into the restaurant. Still a little too nice for my style, but definitely more preferred than a hot dog cart. By the way, do not get a hot dog from any vendors on 6th Avenue. At least Burger Joint was hidden away from all of that. It was much more my speed.

Annabeth was waiting for us at one of the tables. She rested back in a green v-neck and worn jeans. Oddly enough, she was wearing dark brown hiking boots. _Those must be some serious classes._

"You guys are earlier than expected. It isn't even noon yet."

My mom wasted no time trapping Annabeth in one of her signature bear hugs. Paul came and shook her hand as we all got situated. Annabeth once again sat on my lap, warranting a raised eyebrow from Calypso. I just shrugged and took her hand in mine as we had our orders taken.

Annabeth was subjected to the same, albeit less emotional, questioning from my mom. Most of the same about the quest was repeated, spare a few details. Seriously, why did she have to rub in my face that I never met Hercules? At least everyone got a good laugh from it.

After enduring the grueling torment of Annabeth being completely honest about the quest, and nearly giving my mother a heart attack, I finally smelled the bliss of a greasy cheeseburger. To anyone that doesn't eat bacon on your burger, I have one question. Why?

There was a moment of absolute bliss as I sank my teeth into the juicy burger. Sure I loved the food Katie and the nymphs made, but they could never understand just how much I enjoyed unhealthy meals

It seems like I wasn't the only one. Calypso ate with a gusto unlike any other, though she still prefered the pretzels. Crazy, I know. Annabeth scarfed hers down even faster than me.

"Did you even taste it?" I asked incredulously.

"Yep. And since you're taking your time…"

She reached over and pulled some fries from my plate. Her eyes twinkled as she slowly savored my seasoned fries.

"Hey!"

Calypso followed suit and snacked on my fries.

"You too?!"

I just couldn't win. I protectively threw my arms around my plate and tried to eat without lifting my head. Annabeth took advantage and slurped down some of my drink. Only when I gave her a pleading look did she relent, laughing as she did.

Paul cautiously slid his plate away from my mom to prevent her from joining the fun, but she was laughing too hard to notice.

"Well," he said, "It seems like your friends are definitely going to keep you busy."

_Friends…_

My eyes looked up with my face still buried my plate.

"You have no idea…"

"Speaking of which," Annabeth disrupted, "you should definitely try talking to Piper when you get back."

My shoulders tensed.

"What happened?"

"No clue. She apparently locked herself in her room some time in the afternoon yesterday. Hasn't left since. Some of the others were talking about something happening with Khione."

I turned to Calypso, who gave me an alarmed, but knowing look.

"I'll definitely talk to her. I think I already know what's going on."

I had all but forgotten that Piper was also there during the Khione incident. If she reacted anything like I did…

"Who's Piper?" my mom asked. "And key on… whatever you said?"

"Piper pretty much became Annabeth's best friend during the quest. As for Khione… she and Piper have a… rough relationship."

"Having someone threaten your life and freeze your friends will do that," Annabeth muttered.

"Not helping."

"So this Khione," my mom said. "She's an enemy?"

"Yeah," I said.

"But she's in a… harem? For you?"

"It's a long story."

"I see."

Seriously, how many times will I have to explain this kind of stuff?_ Olympians, why must you complicate my life?_

"Anyways," I said, "I'll talk to Piper when we get back."

The meal slowly turned in a more positive direction. By that, I mean I actually got to protect my fries. As for my drink… Let's just say that I now really regret introducing Calypso to soda.

Annabeth began talking about her classes at some point. If you ask me, she should be the one teaching the classes, not learning from them. That girl knows enough.

"They're planning a field trip of sorts for me soon. Some of the most significant landmarks around the world. With a little negotiating, I convinced them to take me to Hoover Dam."

"Awww, Annabeth! I was saving that trip for our anniversary!"

She looked at me wide eyed. "Oh… oops. Sorry. Well, even then, we can still do that. Besides, I don't think that anything will outdo the trip Hermes sent us on."

"Paris," I said. "Yeah. I don't think I can beat that."

Paul seemed to be taking notes on a napkin. I could only pray that he didn't bankrupt himself with whatever he was planning.

"Either way. It'll be a couple of days until then. So you should have time to finish settling in."

"Subtle," I remarked.

She elbowed my gut, nearly causing me to lose my burger the hard way. "I was trying to be. You on the other hand haven't learned when to keep your mouth shut."

I opened my mouth to retort, but realized that I would only be proving her point. Instead, I crossed my arms and sat back with a solid pout on my face. Paul gave a sympathetic chuckle.

My mom raised her eyebrow. "You two sure you aren't married yet? Could've fooled me."

I have to hand it to my mom, she knew how to shut down an argument quickly. Both Annabeth and I looked away with our faces a deep red. Calypso offered a comforting smile, though the twinkle in her eyes made me curious about whether she was trying to keep score against Annabeth.

Call me crazy, but I think the prospect of marriage actually excited Annabeth. Her legs shifted on my lap, and a hand that rested on my knee curled in an almost… aroused manner. Maybe it was more me that was embarrassed by the prospect of marrying. After all, I'd have to do it at least four times just to make sure the girls had their freedom.

I thought about the four girls I planned to marry. All but one of them, I built some rapport with while on the island. Still, I needed to get somewhere with Reyna. She of all people deserved to have her freedom. I just couldn't think of a way that I could get some alone time with her.

Of course, the elephant in the room couldn't go unaddressed. Annabeth… This situation was getting out of hand. Here she was, chatting away with my mother like nothing happened. It's almost like she had no memory of what she did. Or like she rationalized it to some degree. I couldn't call her out on it then and there. Not with my mom present.

The conversations continued rattling on. It was kind of weird to think about. My parents were now talking to two of my future wives as if they were just regular people. Sure, I appreciated that. It definitely beat talking to them like they were property, or slaves, but still. I was half expecting my parents to be very awkward around this kind of meeting, not that I would have blamed them. It's not every day that your child comes home after nearly a year and announces that he's sleeping with several women.

To be completely honest, I'm pretty sure that they were measuring up Calypso to Annabeth. Their demeanor towards her was a bit more reserved and closed off, as though they were forcing her hand to engage them. It's an unfair practice, given how much of an advantage Annabeth had over Calypso in almost every regard, but I can see why they would do that. They want to be sure that their little boy has the best treatment possible. Oh, if they only knew…

Calypso didn't go down easily though.

"Say, Annabeth," she said. "Do your renovations for Olympus include areas for gardens?"

That was a masterful stroke by Calypso. She simultaneously played to both Annabeth's pride and my mom's love for gardening to put Annabeth on the spot.

Annabeth looked like a deer in headlights. "Um, not quite yet. The plans are still relatively new. I did only start the classes yesterday."

"Of course. But should you wish to try your hand at developing some, I would be more than happy to help you."

Annabeth looked incredulous. "I appreciate that. I'll be sure to take you up on that offer when the time comes."

Props to Calypso, she was a master tactician. To not only catch Annabeth off guard, but to play her into your hands simply to put her on the spot; well done. Best case scenario, they end up becoming best friends and build each other up. Worst case scenario, I wind up with two girls that will compete to no ends to outdo the other, even if it involves me. Just like Calypso said last night.

Annabeth sighed. "Well, on that note, I should probably get going. I'm already several hours overdue on Olympus."

"Okay, sweetie," my mom said. "Be safe, and don't be a stranger."

"Of course not."

With that, she gave me a quick kiss and stood up.

"I'm most likely going to be back pretty late tonight. So don't stay up too late waiting for me." She finished that off with a wink.

I laughed. "That all depends on everyone else. Sleep hasn't been too nice to me lately."

I was referring to my nightmares from the previous night, but Annabeth didn't know about those yet. I couldn't risk talking about them in front of my mom.

"Really? Cuz last I recall, you were between me and—"

"Okay, okay!" I said with my hands on my ears. "No need to blurt out the details for everyone to hear."

She gave a sly smirk. "I know. I just love keeping you on your toes."

She gave my cheek a quick kiss and looked to Calypso.

"Keep an eye on him for me, will you?"

"Of course," Calypso said. A mischievous twinkle danced in her eyes. "He's in good hands."

Oh boy. Talk about fueling a fire. The passive aggressive behavior from Calypso was jarring to say the least, but I can't pretend like it came from nowhere. After all, she did curse Annabeth. That wasn't a very pleasant experience.

Annabeth bade everyone a last farewell before paying the tab and leaving. My last sight of her was as she vanished behind the curtains at the entrance, heading to the Empire State Building, and then to Olympus.

"I hope you guys come back around," my mom said. "Sooner rather than later, but I'll take what I can get."

"Hey, I told you. I'm not just abandoning you guys. I promise that I'll be back and visit often."

"I know you will. Just don't overdo it. You still have a life to live."

I decided not to argue with that. After all, it's kind of hard to argue with your mom as she tells you to enjoy life; especially if that life consists of sleeping with several women on a regular basis.

"That being said," Calypso said as she finished the last of her brownie. "We probably should be getting back. Even several days in, there is still plenty to take care of."

She looked at me earnestly and I knew there was no use in arguing. Her face reminded me of Annabeth's whenever she stubbornly refused to listen to me.

I sighed. "Alright, fine. Just let me finish my fries."

* * *

**A/N - This chapter seems pretty short for how long it took to put out, but I started writing this one a bit late. I was originally working on the chapter after this one, but I felt like we needed some levity mixed in, especially with how serious the chapters were getting. You can't deny it. That's exactly how the canon material is written.**

**Also, see how chipper Annabeth is? Yeah... I'll end my remark there before I take it any further. I'll just say the breadcrumbs have been laid out, and everything has an explanation so long as you go looking for it. Dangling the answers right in front of everyone. *sniffle* I'll make Uncle Rick proud (or not, given the kind of story this is).**

**So I'll be honest, not too much happens in this chapter, and it may come across as boring to some, but it was necessary. Seeds are planted (oh, the double entendre with that statement) and preparations are made. Sure, there isn't too much "excitement," but hey, once we get back to the island, you'll understand why Percy needs a chapter like this one.**

**Glad to see everyone is liking where the story is going so far. Surprisingly, the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. I was half expecting someone to comment something along the lines of "this is boring" by this point. Probably jinxing it, given the fact that this chapter is a primary candidate for being boring, but I guess I'll have earned that one. As always, have faith. Work has been crazy, but I still sneak in some writing while there. Roughly 1000 words each day if I'm lucky. Then I have to edit and... hoo boy. Don't even get me started. And here I go rambling... Good job, Ronin...**

**As always, leave a review. This is Ronin signing off.**


	20. Play With Fire, You're Gonna Get Healed?

Play With Fire, You're Gonna Get… Healed?

Calypso and I said our goodbyes to my parents and watched as they took off in the blue prius. I tried to pretend like this didn't feel like a finality. I would definitely see them again, just as soon as I dealt with the situation with the harem.

I sighed, and Calypso seemed to read my thoughts.

"This isn't going to be the last time. You'll have plenty of opportunities. Besides, I don't think that we'd be too heartbroken just because you left the island to see your family."

"I know," I said. "It just feels weird to see them again just to leave so quickly. Know what I mean?"

"I've lived on an island for the past four thousand years, and this is the first place I've seen since. No, I couldn't possibly know at all how weird this must be for you."

"Okay, okay. Man, I thought I was the sassy one."

Despite the fact that Blackjack may have been a more ideal way of leaving, I've already had my fill of staying in the sky. Instead, I decided to introduce Calypso to my other equestrian friend.

"He is magnificent! I read about hippocampi a long time ago, but the texts cannot truly capture their majesty."

To say Rainbow was enthusiastic about taking Calypso for a ride would put it mildly. We zipped down the East River and into Long Island Sound. I saddled behind Calypso, though I don't think the extra precaution was necessary. She was much more at ease riding Rainbow than Blackjack, and a lot more energetic.

"You know," I shouted over the spraying of the sea, "that was a pretty vindictive move earlier, the way you played Annabeth into your hand."

I think she laughed, but I couldn't hear it over the sounds from the water.

"What have I to lose? I can potentially gain a valued friend and ally if things play out well. But if things go south, I could simply use that to make your life more enjoyable."

"You're really serious about not losing me, huh?"

"I told you, I'm not letting you go without a fight. Now with Annabeth distracted with her work and from my request, it gives me more time with you."

We continued like that for a little while. After about fifteen minutes of riding, my yacht of a stallion carried us to the shores of Galínios. We thanked Rainbow for the ride and watched as he splashed back into the water.

As we strolled into the front door, Calypso halted herself. I turned to see her holding one arm in a nervous manner.

"Something wrong?"

"Not necessarily. It's just… As much as I want to, I don't think it would be wise to sleep in the same bed as you tonight. Or for a few nights. As you said, I put her on the spot. Just imagine how she will react when she finds out I'm to become one of your wives."

With a sigh, I rested my hand on her shoulder. I tried my best to offer a comforting smile.

"Like you said, it shouldn't be anything more than friendly competition, right?"

"I… I want to believe that. On my part, it will be just that. But… I don't know Annabeth well enough to be sure. She seems like a prideful one… And I wounded her pride with my remark…"

"How? You just offered your help."

"By doing so, I implied she was incapable of doing the very thing she loves. Can you imagine how much a comment like that hurts? I won't deny I wasn't thinking the most… rationally. After all, to see her on your lap…"

"What, did you want to be on my lap instead?"

To my surprise, she nodded, but did so with a shameful expression.

"More than you know. And after last night… well, let's just say I doubt I'll be able to sleep without touching myself if you happen to stray into my nighttime thoughts."

"Isn't that all the more reason to sleep with me?"

"If I do that, I promise you won't have time for the others. I'm trying to think of everyone here. After all, it would be greedy of me not to let the other get a taste of my future husband."

With a halfhearted wink Calypso left for the gardens, likely to see what Katie had been up to since we left. As for myself, there was one emergency stop that I needed to get to before Piper.

Nimba's room was silent as I approached. If ever there was a time that I prayed for the well being of a nymph, that was it. Those prayers proved to be unfounded as I entered her room.

"Master! Thank goodness you have returned!"

Palirroia cradled the cloud nymph's head in her arms. Numerous vials of medicines littered the end table and dresser. The nymph herself looked frail. Her once pale skin was now gray. Small chunks of her hair lay at the bottom of her bed. Lest I forget to mention, she was spasming every few seconds.

"She is not responding to any more of our attempts to heal her," Palirroia said tearfully.

"Is there anything I can do to help? Maybe I could heal her with some water."

The oceanid looked at me doubtfully. "She is not a nymph of water. But perhaps your method could work."

Not two minutes passed from when I left the room to when I came back with a large glass of water in my hands.

"Hold her head up," I said.

Palirroia listened and tilted Nimba's head upright. I pulled out a small sheet of water and ran it over her face before moving down her body.

I channeled my power over the sea as best as I could, but nothing happened. Her skin may have regained some of its previous paleness, but that was it. Despair began to weigh on my chest as my exertion continued for nearly half an hour.

After nearly depleting myself completely, I collapsed on the side of the bed, panting. My own sweat stained the sheets and my heavy breathing could be felt throughout the mattress.

"Master, please," Palirroia said. Her voice sounded ready to break. "You've tried your best. Do not exert yourself to this extent over one of us. We are expendable. Your will is not."

_What did she just say? Expendable? Seriously, whoever trained these girls, I am going to find them and introduce them to my friend, Riptide._

Before I could retort, a warm glow appeared from behind me.

"I do not believe your master would approve of that visage."

I turned my head to find a kindly looking young woman. Her raven hair was bound in a brown shawl. A deep bronze glowed from her skin. Her brown eyes glowed with a warm fire. Powerful, yet comforting.

"Lady Hestia."

I bowed before the goddess.

"No need for formalities, young hero. You prayed for the nymph to recover. I am here to see it through."

My eyes widened. "You mean…"

"Yes, Percy. I am going to help you."

She trailed forward and brought herself to a rest next to the bed, right next to me. Her hands passed over Nimba's forehead as she softly spoke ancient Greek.

"Hmm. I see." She turned to me. "She has been wounded by the will of a god. As such, only the will of another god can neutralize it. But I do believe that your water will also be necessary to help her."

"Um… of course. Whatever I have to do, I'll do it."

She smiled gently. "Then I will need you to hold the glass out in front of you. When the water steams, you will know what to do."

Understanding, I gave her a slight nod. Her gaze parted from mine and turned back to Nimba. A deep red fire ignited in her palm. While chanting a bit of Greek to herself, she passed her burning hand over Nimba's body. The crimson flames licked at her skin, both thawing and charring her.

I realized with a start that, while Hestia was undoing the damage done by Khione, she was also burning Nimba in the process.

"Uh, Hestia?"

"Do not fret, Percy. Now we shall fully help her."

She held her little torch of a hand under the glass I was holding and let the water boil. When the glass was emptied of its contents, and the room was filled with steam, I willed all of the moisture to cling to Nimba's body. I guess as a cloud nymph, steam was easier for her to absorb than water. The vapor quickly vanished and the burns faded away.

Seconds passed before the most promising sound ever was made, a yawn. Nimba's body let out a small shiver before leaning back and resting into Palírroia's lap. The oceanid looked up at us tearfully.

"I could not ever offer enough to thank either of you. Please allow me to offer you my deepest and most sincere gratitude."

Hestia gave the sea nymph a warm smile. "You are very welcome, young Palírroia. I trust Percy has been treating you well."

Palírroia rapidly nodded her head. "Far greater than I'd ever hoped. He truly cares for our well being."

Hestia gave me a side eyed smirk. "I would have expected nothing else."

I coughed uncomfortably. "Listen, while I do seriously appreciate the help, why exactly did you? I didn't think the gods cared for the well being of mortals, much less nymph handmaidens."

Hestia frowned. "I may be many things, young Perseus, but a follower of the ways of others, I am not. Indeed there are many cruel gods and goddesses. I would like to believe that I am not one of them."

"But why help me? Why now?"

She laughed. "I felt trouble within your home. There was turmoil that would have unraveled rather unpleasantly if it were left unchecked. And to put it plainly, I have taken a special interest in you, and I am curious to see whether or not you will be successful in creating a home between a group that would rival my immediate family in tension."

That's a comforting thought. Nice to know my harem is literally being compared to the Olympians.

"My lady, if I may ask, how exactly can I repay you? We have no pyre or hearth to burn offerings."

"Nor should you. I ask for nothing in return, Percy. Only that you strive to make this a successful home."

With that, she vanished in a column of flame. I looked over to Palírroia, who was still holding a sleeping Nimba in her hands.

"I think it's best that we let her sleep. She could definitely use it."

We both left Nimba's room quietly. However, the moment her door closed behind us, I felt Palírroia's embrace press me against the opposite wall.

"Master, I can't thank you enough for what you've done."

I looked down to her. Her head was buried in my chest, only giving me a view of her black hair. A small shine of light crested her hair with a slightly bluish hue.

"You don't have to thank me," I said. "I want to keep you all safe."

Her fingers curled against my chest, and she looked up to me with a teary smile.

"Maybe. But I must repay you for your kindness."

Without even giving me a chance to respond, she grabbed my face and pulled my lips into hers. The familiar salty taste of the nymph was refreshing, albeit as alien as the very first kiss between us. Her desperate lips refused to let me go, her arms were even less relenting. Perhaps this was why she was revered as the leader of the nymphs. She was easily the strongest of them.

Small breaths passed between us before she pulled away. One look into her eyes and I could see a hunger stirring within her. As such, I immediately took hold of her face and dragged her back into me. A small gasp escaped her as I did, but was instantly quashed as our mouths made contact.

"Master," she gasped, "please take me again. Make me yours."

Her fingers curled around my hair and mine did the same to the folds of her dress. Her cool skin was invigorating. My hands slid down her back and rested on her buttocks. Giving them a slight squeeze, I shifted my head to nibble on her shoulder.

"Not yet," I whispered. "There's still some things I have to do."

She whimpered out in response. Her hands immediately reached for the hem of my shirt and started to pull upwards. I grabbed her wrists before she could succeed.

"I said not yet."

Her green eyes pleadingly stared back into mine. Clearly not too happy, she buried her head into my shirt and nuzzled me with her nose. I felt a slight pinch at my gut as she tried to pull my shirt up with her teeth.

I laughed. "You're really not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

She looked up and pouted. "Master, I feel an urge to do this. It just feels right for me. That and I couldn't stop thinking about all of the things you made me feel two days ago."

I looked back at her slyly. "Oh really?" My hand slid around to her front before coming to a rest on her pelvis. "And what exactly did I make you feel?"

A slight shade of purple faded into her cheeks. "You made me feel warm… safe… cared for… pleas… mmm…"

I pressed my hand into her pelvis and brushed her vulva through her chiton. "Yes?"

"Mmm! Pleasured… oh yes… so much pleasure."

Her hips bucked into my hand as she suffered. Her hands tried escaping my grip, but I refused to relent.

"Master, I beg you! Your humble servant requests your attentions…"

I whispered into her ear. "If that's the case, you may share my bed with me tonight. But only if you let me go now."

She dropped her head in defeat, but continued her slight moaning from my hand. Satisfied, I pulled away from her crotch, making her whimper at the loss of contact.

"You have been a good girl, Palírroia. I do intend to reward you."

Her cheeks flared purple and her breath hitched. Her thighs started rubbing together in anticipation.

"Do you mean it, Master?"

I kissed her forehead. "Absolutely. It's the least I can do."

She shuddered under my touch and nodded her head quickly.

"Then I will also refrain from touching myself until then. I want to give myself to you completely."

"Good girl. You can come and find me later tonight. Until then, I'm sure there's other things you need to do. I'll need to see the keys though.

She simply nodded again and handed me the ring of keys before shuffling her way down the hall. I looked down and saw a wet patch in the carpet, along with a trail of smaller stains following the oceanid.

_Oh boy, tonight is going to be good._

That thought aside, I began my trip to a room that I've been all too familiar with.

Another silent trip awaited me as I made my way to Piper's room. It seems as though nothing ever good came of these quiet trips. They almost always involved something going horribly wrong.

I arrived to Piper's door and knocked. No reply. With a sigh, I unlocked her door and stepped inside.

Piper was there. Or at least a shell of her. She sat at the foot of her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. As I approached her, I could see her face was sullen. Her eyes were sunken in and her cheeks were hollow. A listless and downcast stare left her face and bored into the wall.

Knowing full well there was no chance of getting her to talk in this state, I simply sat down next to her. She was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, though they now smelt distinctly of sweat and blood. I tried looking her in the eyes, but they failed to register that I was even there. Red streaks down her cheek made it evident that she had been crying… a lot.

I placed my hand on hers. Small trembles were felt. My other arm wrapped around her and pulled her to me. She never left her fetal position, but she leaned over and rested in my chest. I took notice of her increasing tremors. With a quick look, I saw fresh tears leaving her eyes.

I leaned down and kissed her head. "I know, Piper. Gods believe me, I know."

That broke her. Her sobs echoed through the room. Such a melodic voice she had. It wasn't supposed to sound this hurt.

"I tortured her," Piper wept. "I did things to her that I would never even have nightmares about."

I placed my hand on her cheek. "Look at me."

She hunched up tighter. Her head retracted, giving her a near perfect impression of an egg. A beautiful, mentally broken egg.

"Piper, look at me."

Still no response.

"I was there too, Piper. Trust me, I know the feeling. It's like… like the moment that…" I trailed off. It was all coming back to me again. My actions. My nightmares. The visceral image of me beating Khione bloody with my bare fists.

"Like the moment we left the dungeon, reality hit us," Piper finished.

I sighed. "Yeah. Like that."

She finally looked up at me, her eyes now red and strained. "How could we do it, Percy? How could we be so cruel?"

As much as I didn't want to give her false hope, I did want her to have full disclosure. "Actually… That may not necessarily have been us…"

Silence.

I could feel her gaze now boring into me. In my efforts to look away, I caught a glimpse of her dagger. The beautifully deadly dagger reflected entirely gold.

Wait, gold? Upon second look, I realized with a start that the entire blade was coated in a thick layer of ichor. It was covered so completely that you would never have guessed it wasn't part of the blade. Only a few drops on the dresser gave it away.

I shuddered. If her dagger looked like that, then that means at some point, she plunged that blade down to the hilt into the goddess. For once, I found myself praying for the health of my enemy. No one, not even Khione, deserved the brutalization we gave her.

"What do you mean?" Piper finally asked, interrupting my train of thought.

I looked back at her. A curious, though doubtful look shone in her eyes. Like she wanted to believe me, but couldn't.

"Calypso," I said, "She said that she could sense some sort of magic at work. Something that was influencing us. Making us behave that way… And according to her, that something was god tier magic."

Her eyes widened comically. "So what you're saying is…"

"To put it simply, someone else was controlling us. Or at least influencing us to act the way we did."

Her eyes had a far away look, like she wasn't even seeing me anymore. "But who would do that? She's already been defeated."

"I don't know," I said. "But I'm going to make damn sure that we figure this out. Trust me, I know what you're feeling right now."

She nodded tiredly and sighed. Her body seemed to relax. No longer was she huddled together. Her legs now dangled from the bed.

"Yeah. We owe her that much."

She threw herself back into the bed and stretched out. A yawn escaped her lips before she looked back at me.

"So," she said, "How did things go with Calypso?"

"Um, well they went… wait… how did you know about that? Annabeth said you were in here like all day."

She gave me a small smirk. "Well, you have quite the love bite on your neck. You just said you talked with Calypso. And you smell like a flower garden. So unless you went at it again with Katie or, gods forbid, Drew, I take it that you spent the day with Calypso."

Wow. That was pretty impressive.

"Well, things went well for the most part. Aside from getting jumped by a group of street thugs and nearly getting killed."

"That explains the scar. Don't your powers normally heal those though?"

I looked down. "Yeah. Normally. It was a pretty bad wound… And… I think I deserve to keep it. A reminder of what happens when I let someone screw with my head."

"Hey, you just said we're dealing with a top tier mind controller. I've faced Medea. I don't think I've ever been more scared of how easily someone could bend others to their will before her."

"Yeah, but… at the time I didn't really believe that. Heck, under most circumstances, I could wipe out dozens of opponents. I've done it several times."

Piper looked on with a curious expression. "What was different about this time?"

"I… I think a part of me wanted to lose. I felt I deserved it. Comeuppance for what we did to Khione. If not for Calypso being there, I would have let them win. By the time I started thinking straight, it was too late. I was already in a really bad spot. If Calypso weren't there, not only would I likely be dead… but I think I would have happily accepted it too."

"Percy." She stared at the wall. "Look I get where you're coming from. You have no idea how tempting it was to use Katropis to slit my wrists. But we have people we need to live for."

She turned her head to face me with a teary, but fierce gaze.

"Don't you die on us. If you do, I'll go down to the Underworld, bring you back to life, and kill you all over again."

I chuckled. "Yes ma'am."

Typical Piper. Down on herself all the time, but the moment someone else does the same, she won't hesitate to set them straight.

"Want me to kiss the scar better?"

I gave her a squinty look and shook my head laughing. "Glad to have you back."

She shrugged. "Yeah, well, being forced to do things I don't want to isn't exactly new. Especially if I'm made to hurt someone in the process."

_Gods, do I know that feeling_…

"But," she continued, "I wasn't kidding about that kiss."

I hung my head and laughed. "Maybe not on the scar. But I'd be more than happy to kiss you again."

With that, I leaned in and she aggressively pulled me on top of her, throwing herself back onto the bed. Soft touches were exchanged, but our lips remained passionately locked together. After a few seconds, her tongue demanded entry. I relented.

A few seconds passed before she pulled away, the color red dusting her cheeks. Her eyebrow was raised.

"You were definitely with one of the sea nymphs recently."

I stared back, shocked. "How did you—"

"Your lips are saltier than usual. Not that I'm complaining. I kind of like the taste. It's different. But whoever you were with definitely did some spit swapping, that's for sure."

I sat back up, rubbing the back of my head. "That obvious, huh?"

She stretched out seductively. "Mhmm. Now, what will it take for the daughter of the love goddess to get fish boy under the covers?"

I let out a hearty chuckle and brushed her messy hair over her head. "Actually, you should probably get some food. I'm gonna guess you haven't eaten since dinner two nights ago."

She gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Still, I want some fun with my lover."

I rubbed her thigh. "You'll get some. How about you join me tonight? I'll get you acquainted with that sea nymph."

Her legs rubbed together, but her face looked uncertain. "You do realize that I'm not bi, right?"

I tilted my head. "But, with Annabeth—"

"That was more Annabeth than me. Guess it was her way of staying even, since we did it before her. Sure I'm not exactly put off by the idea of getting with another girl, but I'd prefer not to."

"Huh, well… Does that mean you're against the idea of joining us tonight? I kind of promised her, and I left her pretty hot and bothered just a little bit ago."

"Damn, seriously? Ugh, alright. I guess I can suffer through it." A slight smile appeared on her lips. "Just so I make it clear, though, I am not planning on sharing you easily. That girl is going to have to fight with me to get her prize." She grabbed my pants to make her point.

I gave a sly smile. "I think I'm gonna like tonight."

She sat up and pulled me into a kiss. "You better. I know I'm getting my fill." She gave me a small push off of the bed. "Now get going. I've got to clean myself up before eating."

With a small laugh, I turned around and climbed out of the bed. It looks like things might turn out well. Piper was better. Things were calm, relatively. I just hoped that we could get to the bottom of this whole mind control thing.

The door closed behind me as I finished the thought. Recounting the events of the previous days, I came to a realization.

"Well," I said to myself, "time to go see the Hunters."

**A/N - Woohoo, we're back on the island. Well, now you have Piper's reaction. Seem realistic enough? What about the knife? Oh, the implications... Then of course, there's Hestia. Did that seem like too easy of a way out? Plus, many of you get to look forward to finally seeing what the Hunters have been up to. Most of them anyways.**

**It seems like the Artemis craze has died down, but I have a feeling she will gain a resurgence of votes after next chapter. Who knows?**

**Overall, things are going well, wouldn't you agree? He he...**

**As always, leave a review. Leave your life story. Leave a question, comment, or concern. This is Ronin signing off.**


	21. First Steps With a Fallen Friend

First Steps With a Fallen Friend

For the life of me, I couldn't seem to find the Hunters. Outside of the gatherings at dinner, they were never around. I searched everywhere that I could think of. The pool? Nothing. The rock wall? Nada. The beach? Blank. The underground arena that I've never been in?... I swear, even I surprise myself with how idiotic I can be sometimes. Of course that's where they were.

Both Bianca and Zoë were locked in combat. They both fought with the grace and precision of swans. If swans could wield foot long hunting knives and bows. Never before had it occurred to me just how strong they were. The pull on their bows must have been massive. Their thin, but muscled arms flexed under their clashes.

I stared in awe as they danced around one another. Each of them pulled off skills that I could never hope to achieve. Such ferocity. Such fluid grace.

After a well fought match between the two, they came to a standstill along the edge of the arena. Both were covered in sweat and panting, but bowed their heads in respect to one another.

"You can come on over here, Percy," Bianca called. "We won't bite."

I walked over, rubbing my arms nervously. "You guys knew I was there?"

"We could see thee when thou walked in ten minutes ago," Zoë said. "Besides, thou were not exactly hiding."

"Fair enough."

"So," Bianca said, "What brings you down here?"

"I could ask you girls the same thing. I've been looking all over for you. You never seem to be anywhere in the house except during dinner."

Zoë shrugged. "We come down here to train. That and we want to avoid the drama of everyone else. Especially that daughter of Aphrodite."

"Woah," I immediately put my guard up, "What did Piper do to deserve that kind of comment?"

Zoë shook her head. "No not her. The other one. The one who can't seem to keep her face out of make-up… or anyone's business for that matter."

"Oh," I said, "You mean Drew."

"That's the one," Zoë replied, "I don't believe that I would speak out against Piper. She is a very unique daughter of Aphrodite. It's unfortunate that she never became a Hunter. She would have been a valuable ally."

"Well, she still can be. An ally, I mean. You guys could absolutely go make friends with her."

Bianca shifted uncomfortably. "We would, but… it's just that after yesterday, everyone's a bit scared of her… After what she did to Khione…"

_Oh no. This was worse than I thought_.

"Okay, let's make this clear. Both Piper and I lost control. To my knowledge, I did the worst of it. And how did you find out about that anyways?"

"Thalia told us," Zoë said. "She said that Piper was in the process of doing some… rather unsettling things to Khione…"

My head fell. _Great. Now this whole mess is gonna get out of control._

"Well, don't hold this against Piper. Calypso said that she felt some sort of magic at work. It was influencing us."

With as much as I've been saying that, I really hoped that it was true. For one thing, I don't want to end up lying to everyone. On the other hand, I don't think that I could handle the realization that I willingly chose to assault Khione.

Bianca's jaw dropped, Zoë's clenched.

"Then we must find the source of this magic and eradicate it," Zoë said with gritted teeth.

"We will soon," I said, "We still have other matters to deal with. Which actually brings me to why I came looking for you guys in the first place."

They both raised an eyebrow. Bianca sure was learning off of Zoë.

"And what would that be?" Zoë asked.

"Clothes," I said, "How are you doing on clothes?"

They both looked down and sighed.

"It could be better," Bianca said. "The nymphs have been lending us their clothes. Unfortunately, they're normally too shredded to give back after we train."

I nodded my head, unsurprised. "Well, we can always stop by Artemis' camp and-"

"No!" Zoë shouted. Her face was pale. "We would do fine with just your camp's clothing. It would be a disgrace for us to return to the Hunters as concubines. Plus it would break Artemis to see us again, just to lose us as quickly as we arrive."

_Boy, did I know that feeling…_

"But you guys haven't even done anything with me yet. So you technically should still be fine."

They looked at each other with uneasy gazes. Zoë met Bianca's scarlet face with a pale one of her own. For a few moments, I sensed a silent conversation between them. If Zoë's flustered expression was anything to go by, Bianca won the argument.

"We don't mean like that, Percy. We mean…"

"… Yes?"

Zoë sighed, exasperated. "We have already been feeling the effects of the harem… we have begun to… desire thou…"

I just stared. "You mean-"

"Yes… we have had… stirrings… I can repel the magic for some time, but… well… even I cannot shield myself in my sleep."

"Why didn't you say anything? We could have figured something out."

A sad smile worked its way into Bianca's face. Zoë blushed.

"We could have tried. But in the end, we decided to accept it. We all know why we're here, Percy. And we see no point in running from it."

I was taken aback. "Wow… I didn't think you guys would have just… gone with it so easily…"

"We didn't at first," Bianca said. "But we figured it could always have been worse. We could have wound up with Heracles."

Zoë's grip tightened around her bow. "Indeed. But I am grateful that I am rather with a man who has earned my trust and respect. Someone that I feel as though I could actually kiss."

A small eternity passed as those words set in.

"Wait. Did I just…" Zoë turned a shade darker. "Um… I mean… uh… excuse me…"

She stormed out of the arena and into the hallway. Her posture was stiff, but her arms began flailing as she yelled at herself. I lost track of her voice as she moved further down the hallway.

I turned to Bianca. "Well, that was… eloquent."

She rubbed her arms together with a bashful expression. "Yeah… she was right though… So what's life like for a hero turned harem leader?"

"I doubt it's any different than what you can imagine. Danger lurking around every corner. Gods perpetually messing with my life…"

Even below ground level, I could hear the rumbling of thunder overhead. Something tells me Zeus wasn't too happy with my remark.

"Anyways… what about you? Nico told me you went for rebirth after you died. Something about trying to make sure you didn't use the Doors of Death."

She fidgeted with her pockets. "Yeah… That's what I wanted him to believe. It took pulling a few strings, but I managed to get through the Doors… Wasn't a pleasant trip by any means."

"Hey." I rested my hand on her shoulder. "Take from me, I know exactly how it feels to wind up in those doors. Along with the journey to get there."

Her eyes went wide. "Remind me to come to you if I have any nightmares about that place."

"By all means, pay me a visit. I'll help as best as I can. Speaking of which, why exactly did you not want Nico to know the truth? He learned about you being alive the moment you were forced into this place, yet you didn't even pay him any attention."

She turned away rubbing her arm. "Because I've been wanting him to forget about me. He spent so long trying to bring me back to life, I couldn't risk him having that hope again. I needed him to believe I wouldn't come back. If he gained even a semblance of a chance to get me back from the dead, his obsession would start all over again. That's why I rejoined the Hunt. To escape him. To help him move on. I guess that's why I'm not too upset about being here. I'm even less accessible here than I was while dead."

"Bianca… that's still not right. If you were alive, he deserved some closure."

"I know. But there was no way of letting him know I'm alive without making things worse." Her voice seemed to get higher in pitch. "Just imagine if I did let him know. It wouldn't end with me. He'd try to go for other demigods as well. Bring back all the heroes. Bring back mom. His obsessions would be kickstarted and he would never move on. I couldn't let him deteriorate like that."

"I… I guess you have a point. He never could let stuff go."

"Yeah," she said with a sad smile. "But now that I'm here, he won't have the ideas of resurrection planted in his head. Plus I get to enjoy myself here more than in Elysium, so it all works out."

I raised an eyebrow (maybe I was learning too much from Zoë as well). "Oh really? And how is this better than Elysium?"

"For one thing, there's a real sky above my head. Plus I am surrounded by people I know I can trust. You, Zoë, Thalia. It makes me much more comfortable. And there's more to do here than there."

"I guess I see your point. Man, you made even the good part of death seem like a real downer."

She smiled. "It beats a life spent in a casino. Or one on the run. Here, the only thing I have to worry about are the stirrings Zoë mentioned."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So you also have that urge?"

Her head sagged between her shoulders. "... Yes. Seeing as I'm probably the least experienced with this… it just feels weird knowing I'll sleep with you sometime in the next week or so…"

I scratched the back of my head and laughed nervously. "Yeah. I can't imagine that would be good for the nerves."

"… Especially since… I haven't even kissed anyone…"

_There's the hint, you idiot! Catch it!_

I sighed. "I don't want to sound too forward, or make you uncomfortable, but… would you… like to?"

I couldn't even look at her. It was weird for me. After all, it was only a few years ago that I was blaming myself for her death. Now, here I was asking to kiss her…

Slowly, but surely, I turned to see her scarlet face. "Um… I… I guess…"

_Okay, if that was a yes, then Zeus was never a player…_

I took a deep breath. "Like I said. If you're not comfortable with this-"

"No," Bianca said. "I… I think I can do this… After all, I only spent like a month as a Hunter before I died…"

_Awkward…_

I turned towards her completely. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, but she didn't look so sure. "Better sooner than later."

"Okay," I placed my hands on her shoulders. "I'll let you control the pace and the flow."

She nodded again. _Well, here goes nothing._ I inched my head forward, making sure not to startle or scare her.

Her eyes were sealed shut. Her hands were clenched and shaking at her sides. Her olive complexion paled. If you could paint a picture of nervousness, this was it.

Before I could collect my wits and pull away, I pressed my lips against hers. She hyperventilated as I did so, though it slowly calmed. I simply rested there, going no further, but not pulling away. She made no effort to reciprocate, no effort to move. I could have been convinced that she was a Medusa victim.

Her eyes finally opened and gave me the signal to pull away. She shifted around uncomfortably, eyes darting in every direction except for at me.

"Was it that bad?" I asked.

Shifting her hands around nervously, she raised her eyes to meet mine. She seemed unsettled.

"Not exactly, but…"

"... But?"

"... But I think maybe you should take the lead."

She wouldn't meet my eyes. A deep scarlet painted her cheeks. Her fingers fidgeted, as if she were trying to tie them into a knot.

"Okay," I said. "But first, I want you to look at me."

She froze on the spot. Her blush deepened.

"Bianca, look at me."

For a few seconds she held her stare towards the wall. After a few seconds more, she took a deep breath turned to face me, and looked me in the eyes. Black clashed against green.

"Be sure to let me know if you're uncomfortable. Okay?"

She snorted. "In that case, I may as well leave. I don't think you quite understand why I'm letting you take the lead."

I sighed. "Okay. I'll take the lead. But don't just go with it if I start to make you more uncomfortable."

She nodded, though her face started to turn green.

I rested my hand on her cheek, my fingertips brushing her olive skin. She felt oddly cold, yet warm at the same time; like a fever patient caught in a blizzard. She seemed to relax under my touch, her eyes closed softly and she leaned into my hand.

With nothing to lose, I moved forward again and connected with her. This time, I was a bit more assertive. I shifted my lips slightly, taking her bottom lip into my mouth. My hand brushed over her ear in my efforts to relax her. I realized that something would help her greatly.

"Breathe," I whispered into the kiss.

She let out a breath, and that gave me the opportunity to deepen the kiss. With my hand now resting on her jaw, I tilted her face upwards and gently pulled on her lip once more.

She shivered under my care, but made no effort to retreat. Small exhales left her nose and drifted against me. Her eyes fluttered open and looked up at me.

I gave my best effort to give her a comforting look. "I'm going to use my tongue now."

Her eyes widened, but she nodded nonetheless.

I moved my tongue into place and pressed it against her lips. She shivered again and tightened her lips together. My tongue began to pull back before her lips parted, allowing me entry. I slithered between her lips and into her warm mouth, twisting around her tongue

Oddly enough, she seemed to relax as my tongue explored her mouth. She submitted in a fashion similar to Palírroia. The familiar feeling of submission gave me the confidence to push a bit further.

With my tongue wrapped around hers, I pulled back out of her mouth, forcing us to trade places. Soon enough, her tongue rested in my mouth. A confused whine escaped her as she opened her eyes.

Seeing as this was my one chance to try and impress her, I lightly sucked on her tongue. Her reaction was instant. She groaned out, and her eyes rolled up to the back of her head. Her rigid posture relaxed entirely, nearly dropping to the ground on the spot.

After a few minutes of letting Bianca indulge in the bliss of kissing, I pulled away, dragging her bottom lip out with my teeth as I did. She whimpered a bit and locked her gaze on me.

"Was that better?" I asked.

She nodded. "Much better. I… I didn't think that kissing could be that fun…"

I gave her a smile. "Well I'm glad you enjoyed it."

She shifted her weight slightly. "Um… do you think we could… do it again?"

I gave her a small laugh. "Absolutely."

I once again returned to my position on her lips. She was much more receptive this time around. I wasted no time involving my tongue. Neither did she. She breathed softly into the kiss as I stroked her dark hair.

Now, if you know anything about my luck, you would know things seemed to be going a little too well with these last few encounters. You would be right.

I failed to hear the door of the arena opening. Only when a gasp was let out and a metallic _CLANG_ echoed through the arena did I realize we weren't alone. Both Bianca and I turned to the entrance to see the intruder. Who else would it be except for Reyna…?

The ex praetor watched on in horror before slowly stepping back towards the door.

I reached my hand out. "Reyna, wait…"

Without another word, Reyna retreated from the arena, running for all it was worth. Her helmet was left lying on the floor.

"Oh boy," Bianca muttered. "I may not know her that well, but I know that look…"

I looked back to her. "Listen, I'm sorry, but-"

"Go," she said. "Trust me, I get it."

I smiled gratefully and gave her one last kiss on the cheek. She rubbed it bashfully as I scooped up Reyna's helmet. With no time to waste, I rushed down the hallway and up the stairs to the ground level. I already screwed things up with Reyna once. No way was I going to let this go unresolved.

**A/N - Oh, no! Reyna just has the worst timing, doesn't she? He he. All things considered, I did my best to make this chapter nice and sweet throughout. You'll understand soon enough, but I consider this the beginning of Percy's "bad day." As I mentioned in the disclaimer, some of the characters have some changes made to their stories. Now you've heard Bianca's. What were your thoughts on that? I strived to keep it as in character for her as possible, while also giving her a realistic way of getting into the harem. I don't know, it worked out well in my thought process, but I guess it's up to you guys to decide whether or not the alteration was done well.**

**Now we have mention of Drew causing trouble with the other girls. Uh oh, what is it she's trying to accomplish behind the scenes.**

**Also, you may notice that a lot of the girls seem divided into their own little groups. I did this for multiple reasons. For one, it allows them to build up relationships in what I consider a realistic manner, rather than everyone suddenly loving everyone. But most importantly, at least for me, it let's me tackle certain girls at a time while giving a reason to exclude the other girls for a time. Hence the reason why the Hunters took so long to be given any screen time. Again, I'm trying to keep it realistic, but manageable as well.**

**Well, that brings an end to the official chapter twenty. Who would have thought that we would make it this far and still have a good following? As always, leave a review. Post your thoughts and critiques. This is Ronin signing off.**


	22. Family Feud

Family Feud

Leave it to my luck to constantly have things go wrong when I'm on my highest. I made my way through the atrium, following Reyna's trail… I think. I assumed she was going to her room. No such luck.

I arrived to find her room unlocked and devoid of life. Leaving her helmet on her bed, I returned to the atrium to try and find her. I could overhear some sort of argument in the distance.

_I'll get to that later._

_CRASH!_

_On second thought, I might want to check that out._

I rushed over to the sound of the commotion. The journey led me to one of the living rooms in the house. There I was greeted with a… troubling scene.

"YOU TWO BIT DAUGHTER OF APHRODITE! YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST STAYED DEAD!"

"I'm sorry! I told you I'm sorry! Was dying not enough?!"

Drew screamed at Silena, who was curled in a fetal position, bawling her eyes out. Hazel was pulling back on Drew, trying to get her away from Silena. Rubies and emeralds were popping up left and right at her feet. And Piper… Piper was on the ground unconscious. Broken glass was littered around her body. Blood pooled around her head. Drew was swinging around what looked like the top half of a vase. But if she was carrying that half…

My vision went red as I pieced together the events. A tug in my gut left me nauseous. The very ground beneath us started shaking, vibrating the entire island to its roots. Waves churned along the coastline. It seemed as though the island were reflecting my rage.

I focused on the gut feeling and called for the sea. Within seconds, a torrent of water flew through an open window and crashed into Drew. I wasn't going to let her get off that easy. I willed the water to form a cocoon around her and lifted her off of the ground. She wriggled and tried to free herself, to no avail. The veil of water also covered her face, so she tried to scream for air. I was half tempted to let her drown… Perhaps even make her implode…

I opened up a small patch of water around her head and tried to keep my voice steady.

"Drew… go to your room…"

She continued struggling in the water's grip. "I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE UNTIL THIS EXCUSE OF A SISTER—"

"DREW! Unless you want me to purée you in that water, you will shut up and go to your room NOW!"

To emphasize my point, I threw her against one of the couches with enough force to topple it backwards and send her rolling with it. She coughed and scampered back to her feet. Still soaking wet, she realized there was no way to win this and stomped off to her room.

I turned my attention to Silena, who was still sobbing and hyperventilating on the floor. Hazel knelt by her, trying to comfort the daughter of Aphrodite.

"Could you help Silena to her room? I'll be there shortly. I just have to take care of Piper first."

Hazel nodded and, with some comforting words of support, helped Silena to her feet and escorted her to her room.

I turned my attention to Piper. She was still breathing, much to my relief. I picked up her limp body and placed her on one of the couches (the one that I didn't just flip over). With a little bit of work from the water that splattered on the floor, I healed the gash in Piper's head. It was definitely going to scar. I just hoped that the damage didn't do anything worse.

Piper mumbled out, but otherwise remained still. I caressed her cheek, running water along her head and face until I was sure the wound was fully taken care of. Only when she started snoring did I breathe a sigh of relief. _She is just sleeping now._ _If Drew struck her just two inches lower…_

Pulling myself out of that thought, I placed a blanket over Piper. With her now comfortably resting, I made my way down to Silena's room.

Making my way down the hall, I passed by the silver haired nymph, Thŷella.

"Hey. I hate to ask this, but there was a bit of a scuffle over in the living room." I pointed down the hallway, back the way I came. "Could you guys possibly have that cleaned up?"

The oceanid bowed her head slightly and mumbled. "Yes, Master. Right away. Though, if I may ask, what was it about?"

I frowned. "I'm about to find out."

Her eyes widened and she nodded quickly before trying to quickly escape my sight. I turned around to grab her wrist. She panicked slightly, but regained her composure.

"Is there anything else you need assistance with, Master?"

I gave her a small smile, but I was trying to work out why she was so timid around me.

"No. I just wanted to ask you to please be careful and not hurt yourself. There's broken glass and other nasty stuff." I thought back to the small pool of Piper's blood.

She looked briefly taken aback, but gave a slight nod. I let her leave and returned to my journey. I arrived to Silena's room to find the door ajar. Walking in, I found the crying daughter of Aphrodite on her bed, still being whispered to by Hazel. The golden eyed demigoddess looked up at me, her expression clearly uncomfortable. I walked up to the pair and sat down next to Silena, opposite of the side Hazel was sitting.

"Okay," I said, "what happened?"

Silena didn't say anything. She just kept her head bowed, staring at the floor.

"Well," Hazel said, "Silena and I were just having some lunch. We were chatting about our time in the Underworld and how boring it was."

I nodded for her to continue.

"Sometime during that, Drew walked out and overheard us. She made some sny remark about how Silena got off easy in Asphodel. Silena tried defending herself, but then Drew exploded on her. Things just escalated from there."

I held my chin in my palm, staring at the wall. "How did Piper get involved in this?"

Hazel looked down at her jeans. "Well, she walked in during the argument. Guess she heard the yelling. She tried calming everyone down, but she wound up distracted."

"Distracted how?"

"By Silena. She was trying to calm down Drew's yelling at first, but then she saw Silena in tears. She turned her attention to calming Silena, and that gave Drew the opening she needed to smash the vase against her." Her eyes widened suddenly. "Is she okay?"

"I think she'll be okay. She's lucky to be alive though. Two inches lower and she would have lost her ear… and that's if it wasn't hard enough to kill her… Why did Drew hit her?"

She shook her head miserably. "I don't know. Maybe because she didn't want Piper to use her charmspeak. Maybe she was just lashing out for being angry at this place."

I shook my head. "That doesn't call for that reaction." I then looked to Silena. "Hazel, could you go ahead and check on the nymphs. I sent them to clean up the mess."

Understanding the real purpose of my proposal, she nodded and left. Something tells me she was a little thankful to no longer be in the middle of this.

"Silena," I called.

She didn't budge. _Seriously, is it just a daughter of Aphrodite thing to become all rigid when you're upset?_

I wrapped my hand around hers. "Silena. Please talk to me."

Her shoulders slumped even further than they already were. She let out a long breath before looking at me.

"Why are you guys being so nice to me?"

_That was a pleasant start_.

"What?"

"Why are you guys being so nice? Seriously, Drew was right. I deserved worse."

I tightened my grip on her hand. "Silena, stop. You don't deserve any worse. Just about everyone at camp considers you a hero. Heck, after you passed, Clarisse glared at everyone and demanded that you be recognized as the hero you are."

She gave a sad smile at the memory of her gruff friend. "Still. Just because you guys are too stubborn to admit it, I did deserve worse. I was a spy, for Zeus's sake!" Tears started streaming down her eyes.

I climbed off of the bed and knelt down in front of her. Still keeping her hand in mine, I looked up at her.

"Silena, you're not the one to blame for that. I know Luke. I know Kronos. They nearly had me wrapped around their finger as well. If they threatened Annabeth the way they threatened Beckendorf, I probably would have done the same thing."

She turned her head away. "That doesn't excuse what I did, Percy. So many people died because I still carried out their dirty work. Even as we were fighting in Manhattan, I was still giving them information. How do you think the Minotaur knew where to attack?"

I thought back to my last fight with beef brains. That definitely wasn't a fun experience, minus throwing him off the Williamsburg bridge with an axe in his side.

"Again, other people would have done the same. We can't blame you for being human. Nor should you blame yourself. Need I remind you that only a few years ago, the gods were deciding whether or not they should even let me stay alive?"

She didn't look convinced. "Yeah, but that was for the safety of the world. I risked the safety of the world for one person."

I got her right where I wanted her. "I've done that every year for the past five years. It didn't matter who it was. My mom, Grover, Annabeth, I've risked everything for them. And I'd do it again, even if I knew the world would be wrecked in the process."

She eyed me over before sighing in defeat. "You're too damn nice to be stuck in a place like this."

I gave a crooked grin. "Probably. Tell you what, the Hunters need some clothes and they aren't exactly willing to go back to Artemis. You up for a shopping trip tomorrow?"

She looked up in shock. She tried to keep her face straight, but she couldn't conceal the excitement in her eyes.

"Where?"

I let out a laugh. "Anywhere you want. We can go anywhere in the world from this place."

Her jaw dropped in shock. "Umm… could we try the Mall of America?"

I groaned internally at the prospect of going to another mall, but she definitely needed it. "Absolutely. We'll just have to let everyone know where we're going tomorrow."

She beamed at me brightly. All signs of her previous worries faded away. "I can't thank you enough for this, Percy." She then lunged forward and tackled me in a hug.

"Anytime. Now don't go getting yourself down, okay? If anyone gives you a hard time and you don't feel like handling it yourself, you let me know. I'll straighten them out."

She let out a breath and mumbled. "Okay… I seriously lucked out with getting you as a master…"

I pulled away from her hug, but rested my hands on her shoulders. "Nope. Not a master. Just a friend who cares about you."

She smiled coyly. "That's the best kind of master I could ask for." She then leaned in quickly and gave me a peck on the lips.

I may have turned bright red from the kiss. After all, at one point, this girl was arguably one of my biggest crushes…

"Well," I coughed, "I should probably get going. I still have to straighten out Drew."

She nodded understandingly, though her lips took a slight downturn. "Don't be too rough."

I gave a crooked grin. "That'll be up to her."

With one last hug, I left Silena's room and made my way down the hall.

I arrived to find Drew's door wide open. Be it curiosity or anger that drove me, I decided to simply barge in unannounced. It appears an announcement wouldn't have helped anyways. The room was empty. Preparing to leave, I caught a quick sound of someone talking to themself. It sounded like it was coming from… hmm… the bathroom. _Makes sense to me._

Making my way to the open bathroom door, I could hear Drew bitterly muttering to herself. Leaning against the wall, I watched on as she ranted in front of the mirror, drying her hair while wearing nothing more than a towel.

"Stupid son of Poseidon," she said, "That chick got what she had coming."

I listened on with slight amusement.

"And now I have to sleep with him?! Ugh!"

She slammed a door to her cabinet shut and threw herself on the ledge of the jacuzzi, pouting ferociously.

"You know," I said, making her jump, "No one said that we had to sleep together. I'm fine with leaving everything as is."

She glared at me and stormed out of the bathroom, taking extra care to shoulder check me in the process.

"Why are you here then? Just leave me be and everyone can stay happy."

She sat down on the edge of her bed, crossing one leg over the other. A vile glare locked onto me as she crossed her arms.

"Well," I said, "I'm trying to get some answers from you. Why were you screaming at Silena, and why did you attack Piper?"

"BECAUSE," she screamed, "EVERYONE GOES TREATING HER LIKE A FUCKING QUEEN! It's disgusting! She's responsible for so many people dying, yet everyone just brushes that off!"

_Okay, fair reasoning._ I laid my trump card on her.

"Well, by that logic, shouldn't I also be treated like vermin? I've got more demigod blood on my hands than just about everyone here. The only one who _might_ have me beat is Reyna; and that's just because she led an army roughly three times the size of Camp Half-Blood."

Drew looked taken aback, but she didn't relent.

"You were a hero who got landed in a crappy position," she insisted. "Just because people were willing to die for you doesn't make you responsible. _She_ on the other hand was helping the enemy!"

I sighed. "Yeah. She screwed up. She screwed up big. But she's trying to make amends for it. Hell, she took drakon venom in the face for it."

She muttered. "Should've pissed on her corpse too…"

My fists balled as I tried to contain my rage.

"Now I see why everyone's been trying to avoid you. She may have screwed up, but at least she acknowledges it. _You_ on the other hand still act like you're above everyone and won't stop acting pissed off."

She glared at me. "I was the queen of Camp Half-Blood! Now I'm just some concubine who has to spread her legs on command! No shit I'm pissed!"

My breathing settled. _So that was it._

"I know," I said forlornly, now sitting down next to her. "I didn't want any of this to happen. If I could go back in time and change this outcome, I would."

Her glare faltered. Her arms dropped. It almost looked like she wanted to reach out to me.

"It… it's not your fault that this happened," she said. "My mom's the one who put me here…"

I scoffed. "Yeah. I still don't see why. Zeus said everyone had to be close to me. No offense, but you don't qualify."

She pursed her lips and furrowed her brow.

"None taken…"

I glanced up at her. "You know… the only reason you were a queen was because you manipulated everyone. Dictator would be more fitting. A very convincing dictator."

She smirked, looking slightly pleased with herself. "What can I say? I'd make a very good dominatrix."

The lustful glare in her eye didn't faze me.

"Thanks, but I've already got Annabeth covering that department. _You_ however won't have to worry about that. You don't want to sleep with me? Fine. Then you simply won't."

I started to get up, but she immediately pounced. Latching onto my shoulder, she dragged me back down onto the bed.

"You wouldn't! You know the curse will take affect!"

"In a little over a week by my guess," I said with a shrug.

Her eyes widened. "You would let me be tortured?! I thought you were supposed to be kind!"

I grabbed her wrists and threw her back onto the bed with my weight uncomfortably on top of her, pinning her arms above her head.

"I'll be kind to those that deserve it. However, I _won't_ tolerate someone who goes bashing in her sister's skull with a vase!"

She shivered underneath me. "That… that wasn't deliberate. I was scared of her…"

_Talk about flipping a switch._

"Why?"

She turned her head away, refusing to meet my eyes. "Her charmspeaking for one thing," she muttered. "Then there's what she did to Khione."

_Note to self. Be sure to check on the snow goddess. As bad as this has been sounding, I better look into it._

"That's no excuse," I said, now pushing my weight further onto her. "Any problems can be brought through me. End of story."

She turned and glared up at me. "So now we can't even solve our own problems? You've certainly settled into your role well."

My grip on her wrists tightened. "There's a difference between solving your own problems and nearly killing someone. Especially when that someone was trying to calm everyone down."

Her eyes widened. "She's not…"

"No. Not for now at least. But that doesn't make this any better."

Tears started to form. "I didn't mean to hurt her that badly. I just… I just wanted to get her away from me."

"Yeah, well you did a crap job of that. Maybe now you see why people aren't too keen on being around you. You simply refuse to control yourself."

A tinge of guilt pierced her fabulous face. "I… I know… But…"

She suddenly broke down in tears. I can't lie, I felt kind of bad. What she did was wrong. No denying that. But hearing her reasons for it…

"Don't expect them to be too happy to mingle with you for a while. And I'm not going to stop Piper from getting even with you."

Her teary eyes widened, pupils shrinking in fear. "Please… don't let her treat me like Khione. I'm not… I won't be able to take something like that."

The puppy dog eyes had little effect on me.

"If it comes to that, I'll step in. Besides, I don't think anyone here could survive what we put Khione through."

She sighed in relief.

"But," I said, "That won't stop me from denying you my bed."

With that, I let go of her and climbed off the bed. Seeing as I had nothing more to say, I made my way towards the door.

"Oh, Percy," she called. "Are you sure you want to do that? I'm sure that there's something I could do to change your mind."

Seriously, this girl switched moods faster than Piper's eyes changed colors. The charmspeak was laid on thick, but at this point, I'm sure my exposure around Piper gave me some resilience to it.

I turned around to retort, only to find her standing one foot away from me. She gave a smug, yet seductive smirk. With little effort, the towel dropped from her body, leaving her naked form bare for all to see.

I'm not going to lie to you, it pained me to hold back. Her looks had more of an effect on me than her charmspeaking. A deceptively slim frame carried succulent features. Her skin was pale and flawless. Small traces of muscle gave her an oddly fit build. Her waist tapered, but contrasted with her round hips. Lest we forget the two bundles of joy hanging on her chest. By no means were they even in the caliber of some of the other girls, but they jiggled enticingly with every breath she took.

It was honestly unfair. She was an absolute half package for a daughter of Aphrodite. In the looks department, she excelled. Her behavior balanced it out though. If only she kept her behavior in check, then she'd be much more desirable.

Spotting my hesitation, she grabbed my hand and brought it up to her chest. Unable to resist at this point, I gave it a slight squeeze.

_So supple and firm. If I could just—_

I leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "No."

With that, I pulled away, my fingers aching for the soft flesh again. I strode back down the hallway, leaving a shocked and somewhat pissed daughter of Aphrodite standing in her doorway completely naked. Now that I managed to clear my head of any thoughts of ravaging her until she couldn't walk, there was one last trip that I needed to make. There was a certain goddess of snow that most definitely needed some attention.

**A/N - I know. I know. This is a late posting. But a chapter about family drama being posted on Independence Day? I just couldn't help myself.**

**Well, here's a chapter I'm sure many of you weren't expecting. _But, Ronin, what about Reyna?_ We'll get to her. One thing you'll notice is Percy gets dragged all over the place. When you have to overlook eighteen other people, regardless of age, things can get hectic.**

**So what were your thoughts on Drew's outburst? Warranted? Unwarranted? How about the punishment? Seems like she has quite the time limit on her to clean up her act. Not to mention, she tried seducing Percy the moment things weren't going her way. In all honesty, I was debating about having Percy fall for her. While it may have worked a few days prior, now with Percy having some experience under his belt, what is he going to lose? A partner in bed? He's already gotten more action than most guys in just the past few days. I don't know. I just don't see him being Drew's victim so easily.**

**And then Silena. Poor girl just can't get a break, can she? Or Piper for that matter. I know another shopping trip is probably the last thing you guys want given we had one with Calypso already, but the next one will have a different focus besides the shopping aspect.**

**Well, that's it for now. For those who celebrate it, hope you have a happy Fourth of July! For those who don't, hope you enjoy your day as well! Have fun, be safe! Leave a review! This is Ronin signing off.**


	23. Getting Sidetracked With a Happy Ending

Getting Sidetracked With a Happy Ending

Seeing as everyone was making the Khione situation out like she was on her deathbed, I decided that it might be in my best interest to get some water, just in case there were any severe wounds that might need healing. I headed towards the kitchen to get myself a glass, which took me where the little… dispute took place.

Walking into the living room, I saw that Hazel decided to lend a hand. She was pushing the couch back into place. Thŷella was mopping up the water and blood puddle. The place was starting to come back together. As I approached, Hazel took one look up at me and gave a soft smile before a look of horror adorned her face.

Before I could register the change, she choked out,"Percy, don't!"

Dear reader, I will never understand how nymphs can walk around barefoot day in and day out. Whatever magic they have protecting them, I want some. Me and my careless self failed to realize that there just so happened to be a pile of broken glass swept up, ready to be disposed of, right where I was stepping.

With a painful _CRUNCH_, I took one look down and began registering just how much my foot was bleeding. Even with socks on, my tender sole was no match for the fury of broken glass.

"Oh," I squeaked, my voice an octave higher than usual. "That hurt."

I hopped over to the wall and slid down it, my hands now grasping at the bloody mess that was my foot. Trying to keep my breathing steady as the pain started registering. In my miserable efforts to ignore the pain, I tried willing some water to me. No such luck. The small daggers of glass shredding my foot made it a little difficult to concentrate.

Right on cue, another one of the nymphs, Rose I think, walked in with a broom and dust pan. She took one look at the situation and dropped her instruments in horror.

"Oh no! Master! Please, let me help you!"

She and Hazel both rushed to my side. Hazel stripped off my sock and used it as a soaking cloth to staunch the bleeding. Rose allowed some sort of oil seep through her skin and used it to hold the cloth in place. The oil was fragrant, giving off the smell of… _huh… roses… go figure_. Anyways, the oils relieved a great deal of pain, though that didn't alter my foot from looking like hamburger meat.

I gave a sigh of relief as my thoughts cleared, though Hazel still looked worried.

"Those are some pretty nasty gashes. The bleeding is barely being held back."

"Water," I said. "Get me some water."

Rose bolted to the kitchen. Seconds passed and she returned with a large glass of water.

Willing the water towards me, I pulled a small stream from the glass and pressed it against my foot. As the water cocooned my foot, I could feel the magic working. My wounds began to close and the blood was pulled back where it belonged.

"Ahh," I sighed, "Much better."

Rose looked on, her face paler than I remembered.

"MasterI'msorry!Ididn'tmeantoleave-"

"Woah woah! Slow down and take a deep breath."

She did as I said, but stood there trembling in her dress.

"Now, what were you saying?"

She shivered at my words, her gaze locked on the tile floor.

"I'm so sorry, Master. I didn't mean to leave the glass there. I was throwing away some other glass. The dust pan couldn't carry all of it."

She fidgeted with the folds in her chiton as she hyperventilated, her deep red curls bouncing with every breath. Some of her pigment returned to her lime green skin as she recognized the gentleness in my voice.

My gaze softened. "It wasn't your fault. I should have paid better attention."

Tears started welling in her bright green eyes.

"But… but I…"

I stood up and placed my hand on her shoulder, the pain in my foot now a dull throb.

"Hey," I said, trying my best to stay gentle, "Don't go beating yourself up over this. You were doing what was asked of you."

I gave her a small kiss on the forehead, resulting in a very stunned dryad. Even Hazel looked on with a blush.

"Well, um," Hazel said, "I think there's still some more to clean up."

I looked once again into Rose's eyes and rapped my fingers along her shoulder.

"Not this one," I said. "I'm going to have a little talk with her. Think you could-"

"We've got this, Percy," she said with a smile.

Hazel picked up the broom and dustpan before sweeping up the now bloodier pile of broken glass. Thŷella continued mopping up the mess of water that laid on the floor. It may have been in my best interest to help them and just cast the water out the window, but I was a little distracted with trying to calm down a nymph on the verge of a panic attack.

"Come on," I said to Rose. "Let's take a walk."

* * *

Rose accompanied me down the hallway to nowhere in particular. She shivered as we walked, shaking rose petals out of her crimson ringlets. She was one of the shortest of the nymphs; perhaps a couple inches taller than Hazel at most. That made wrapping my arm around her shoulder a little awkward.

"Alright, what's wrong?"

She looked up at me, though never quite made eye contact.

"'Wrong,' Master?"

"Yeah. You're panicking over a small hiccup that was, in all honesty, my own fault."

Her eyes widened and she turned away, shaking more rose petals out of her curly hair and leaving a trail of them wherever she walked.

"No, Master. Do not blame yourself. I was asked to clean it. I should have done it sooner."

I rubbed her shoulder as we walked along, trying to relax her.

"There's more to it than just that, isn't there?"

She looked back at me, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Master?"

I stopped walking and leaned back against the wall. Giving her a quick once over, I couldn't help but marvel at how nymphs got around without wearing shoes.

"Why are you blaming yourself for something that wasn't even your fault?"

"But… but it was…"

I stepped forward and placed both of my hands on her shoulders. She paled on contact and her trembling began once again.

"Please, be honest with me. Why are you blaming yourself?"

Her mouth moved up and down, trying to talk but never making a sound.

"I… I…"

She broke down into tears. Her crying sounded much like Calypso's. You never wanted to hear the pain in the sobs, but you couldn't help but notice how cute they were when they cried. Despite her crying, she remained rigid, giving the impression of a crying statue.

I leaned in and gave her a hug. Not even holding herself back anymore, she wrapped her arms under mine and sobbed into my chest.

"Shhh," I cooed. "You're gonna be okay."

She sniffled and pulled away. Her green tears ran down her cheeks and landed on her chiton. Each drop seemed to drain some of the vibrancy out of her eyes.

"So," I whispered while wiping away some tears, "What's going on? Why are you so upset about this?"

She turned her head away. "This… this isn't my first time failing in my duties. Before you arrived, Nimba… she asked me to watch over her sister."

I cocked my head. "Nimba has a sister?"

She nodded her head, her face taking on a grey color. "She did…"

"What happened to her?"

She took a deep breath, though I don't think that it calmed her nerves that much. "Before we arrived, Nimba had asked me to watch over her twin sister, Sierra. Well, following our arrival, we explored the grounds to learn the routes and paths of our new home."

She paused and I nodded for her to continue.

"Well… I got lost… in these very halls. I didn't know where I was. I was along a window… one looking out to the shore and," her voice cracked, "I saw Sierra swimming away from the island."

I paused to take that in. "Wait… but Palírroia said…" My eyes widened at the realization. "She faded?"

Tears free flowed from her eyes once again as she nodded. "It was my fault. I promised I would watch her. Every time I'm asked to do something, I always do something to mess it up…"

"Rose," I said as I hugged her head into my chest, "That wasn't your fault. It was an accident. It's these stupid laws that are in place. You couldn't have known."

She shook her head and mumbled into my chest. "It doesn't matter. I should have been watching her."

"You just got here," I insisted. "There's no guilt that you should be holding."

She remained silent. As still as she stood, you could almost assume she was a rose bush.

"Why was she swimming away anyways?"

"I don't know," she groaned, tears once more threatening to let loose. "Nimba might know. I haven't been able to bring myself to face her ever since."

I sighed. "Listen, I know that feeling. But you should go talk to her. I may not know much about you guys, but she doesn't seem like the kind to hold a grudge."

She shook her head against my sternum, grinding her nose against the bone. "It's not about her forgiving me. I can't forgive myself."

_Okay, if I tell her to do otherwise, would that make me a hypocrite?_

"Rose, given how many people that I've hurt in one way or another, I would be insane at this point if I never managed to forgive myself."

She eyed me, not quite believing my words.

"A perfect example," I continued, "Would be when I caused a volcanic eruption. I displaced over half a million people because I lost control."

Her green eyes widened and her shivering increased. I realized with a start I just announced to a scared girl that I was someone who was very powerful and dangerous. Not an impression you want to make… unless you're Zeus.

I stroked her hair, trying to calm her quaking. In the process, I pulled out a single rose petal from her curls.

"But," she said, "You have skills. You have something to compensate for what you do. I have nothing to help others."

"Nothing? So you never did anything for fun? You don't have any kind of skills you can use?"

She looked away and fidgeted with her chiton. "Well…"

"...Yes?"

"I… I have been told that I am good with my hands. The trainers would often praise my abilities to give massages."

I looked back, impressed. "Believe it or not, that's a cool skill to have. You have no idea how many demigods would kill to get a massage."

She hunched her shoulders. "It is not very useful. What good is a massage when I can't even keep someone safe?"

I gave her a look of pity. "What good is being able to heal someone with water if they're already dead?"

She looked back, somewhat shocked and repulsed by my question.

"You don't get it, Rose. I've been helpless to save everyone. My friends have died by the dozens and I'll never get them back. You still have your friends. Hold on to them."

I was referring more to Nimba. After all, only a trusted friend would ask you to watch over a younger sibling. If I lost Tyson…

"I'll… I'll go talk to Nimba about this," she mumbled, her head bowed in defeat.

I gave my best effort for a reassuring smile. "There you go. You might want to wait though. She's still recovering from Khione."

Her eyes widened. "Is she going to be okay?!"

I ruffled her hair a bit, shaking some more petals from her hair. "She should be fine. Hestia and I both worked to heal her. She's resting now."

Her shoulders relaxed. "Thank you, Master. She has endured enough"

"From the sounds of it, all of you have."

Her head dipped, shifting her focus to the floor beneath her. In the brief moment of silence, I was preparing to leave, but then she gave me an offer that took me by surprise.

"Would you like a massage?" She blurted.

I straightened out, taken aback by her request.

"That isn't necessary. I told you, it's not your fault that I stepped on the glass."

She shook her head. "No, Master. It's my way of thanking you. You've given me peace of mind."

"Oh… well, if you want to. I've got no complaints."

Her eyes brightened, returning to the vibrant green from before. While giggling like a schoolgirl, she took my hand and ran down the hallway, dragging me along for the ride.

* * *

Rose trailed down the corridors, dragging me in tow. Before long, I found us in front of a familiar room.

"The spa? What, am I getting a manicure as well?"

Rose dragged me into the room, passing by the dozen or so swiveling chairs.

"If you want to, I won't stop you. Though that will be on the wind spirits to do. Our business is back here."

She hauled me towards the back of the room. Before us, a large jacuzzi nestled in the ground. Nearby, a room with a heavy amount of steam coming from under the door waited.

"What's that?"

She turned. "Oh, that's the sauna. Would you like to go in there instead? I already planned some stuff out…"

I returned her worried look with a crooked smile. "Nah. Just curious. What did you have planned?"

"Well, first we need to fill the tub with warm water. Perhaps you could disrobe as I prepare?"

_Okay, I see where this is going._

"Sure. Should I go find another room or…?"

She giggled, turning on the jets of the tub. "That isn't necessary, Master."

Taking her at her word, I began to undress. As much as I tried to ignore it, I couldn't help but notice her growing eyes and deepening blush as my clothes came off.

"Like what you see?"

She jumped back, her blush approaching the darkness of her hair.

"Oh! Um… yes… very much…"

This was becoming much more normal. It seems ironic how I managed to adjust in only a matter of days.

With the last of my clothes resting on a swiveling chair, I waited as the water filled the tub. Rose seemed to struggle, taking extra care not to look in my direction as she collected a few bottles. Her task was finished in mere moments, and she began pouring some bath salts into the choppy water.

"The water is ready for you, Master."

I stepped into the bath, taking note that her choice of warmth was damn near perfect. I prefer hotter water than this, but I was sure things would heat up in… other ways soon enough. Leaning against the edge of the tub, I let out a relaxed sigh.

"Sure you don't want to join? This bath is lovely."

She turned her head away, finding a great interest in the wall.

"Umm, maybe later. There are still some things I want to do first."

Rose's next action left me perplexed. She stood over the edge of the tub and began combing her fingers through her curly hair. With each pass, she pulled out several rose petals and tossed them into the water. That action drew a concerned glance from me. After all, she may as well have tossed dandruff flakes into the water. Very big and fragrant dandruff flakes.

Satisfied with the now rose filled bath, the dryad stepped behind me, leaving my field of view. Curiosity rampaged through my head as I wondered what she planned next.

My answer came in the form of a very cool liquid pouring over my head. Scented oils that smelled of jasmine and honeysuckle ran down my shoulders and dripped into the water. Letting out an appreciative breath of air, I leaned further against the rim of the bath.

With the finishing of the oil drip, Rose's delicate hands caressed my locks and lathered the thick liquid deeper into my scalp. My head swayed with her motions, following her every touch.

The jets of water sprayed into my lower back, relaxing every muscle they touched. The aroma of rose, honeysuckle, and jasmine permeated the room, granting a pleasing scent with every breath.

Rose's hands shifted to my shoulders, kneading the wound up muscles. Her dainty hands remained firm against my skin. Every digit tenderized the meat of my joints, relieving knots that were unknown to me beforehand. Her touch was cool and soothing, yet left a pleasant burn whenever she pulled away.

After working her magic on my shoulders, Rose turned her attention to my neck. Her graceful fingers pulled and pressed against the soft tissues, drawing out a well earned groan for her efforts.

"Gods," I said, throwing back my head, "You're incredible."

From the angle I was at, she towered above me, despite sitting behind me. A bashful smile adorned her lips as she continued servicing my neck.

I closed my eyes, relishing the sensation of her working the front of my throat, making her way to my chest in a discrete, albeit flirtatious, manner. This drew a playful thought to mind.

"Rose, I have to return the favor for this. How'd you like a massage?"

My eyes opened to see her darkened green blush. A slight falter in her hands made it evident that I was getting to her.

"That isn't necessary, Master. I'm just happy to please you."

_Perfect!_

"Then let me return the favor and make myself happy pleasing you."

"Master, that isn't- _eep!_"

She squealed out as I brought my hands to her thighs and hoisted her forward, bringing her hips to a rest sitting reverse cowgirl on my face. As expected, her chiton dissolved the moment it came into contact with the water. This left me with a very pleasant view of her verdant vulva resting above my face.

"How about we make this beneficial to both of us?"

Her weight shifted above me, signalling her uncertainty.

"Master, are you sure? Though the idea is intoxicating, it would be selfish of me to indulge in such pleasures."

My response didn't come in the form of words. Rather, I wrapped my arms around her thighs and pulled her rosy snatch into my mouth.

She yelped in surprise as my tongue embraced her slit, but made her efforts to continue the massage. Her hands pressed against my abdomen, digging her fingers into my flesh while also holding her steady as she felt the fury of my oral onslaught.

"Mas… ter… It feels too good…"

_Oh, my dear little Rose, this is just the beginning._

I nuzzled her crevice with my nose, taking in the flowery odor of her arousal. As I did, my tongue worked its way towards her clit, taking clear advantage of our position.

The shivers that resulted from this were felt all the way through her fingertips as she tried to keep up with the massage. Her composure was all but lost as my mouth did wonders to her nether regions.

Rose let out a strangled whimper. "Gah, I can't take this anymore."

Rose let herself drop forward until she was laying against my torso. With her face mere inches away from the water, her hands plunged beneath the surface and took hold of a very hard length of flesh.

I groaned into her quivering labia, resulting in a high pitched squeak from the nymph. The sensation of her hand was phenomenal. A soft grip pumped along my throbbing erection with a soft rhythm, twisting along as it went. Unable to contain my composure, my hips bucked in response to her touch. To thank her, I pressed my nose deeper into her crotch.

My arms readjusted, gripping her by the waist and smashing her body against mine. Her cool skin once again refreshed every inch of me that it touched, but left a mild burn whenever the contact was broken.

The balmy sensations only spurred me on to feast in her folds all the more. Her taste was unique in comparison to my previous partners. A bitter juice with sweet undertones burned my tongue with every ounce that flowed from her.

She made no effort to conceal her moans as I enjoyed my meal, nor did she hold back the erratic humping motions on my face. Though she never once let up on jerking my length, the bucking of my hips never made it an easy task.

"Master," she cried, "I want you in my mouth! Please, I want you deep in my mouth, but I can't breathe underwater."

Without even taking my tongue away from her throbbing clit, I willed the water to recede from us. This gave way to the bulging toy that she came to love.

Without any hesitation, her head dropped onto my erection. Her skilled hands fondled my churning balls, taking extra care to drag her nails along the delicate skin.

My hips bucked at the sensation, driving the length of flesh further into her steamy mouth. A groan left my throat as I continued indulging in her bittersweet core. My tongue lapped up any juices it could, savoring every drop that she produced. I dragged my jaw along her pelvis with soft pressure, scraping my teeth against her clit as I did.

She screamed into my turgid organ as I did, forcing herself into a strangled deepthroat. Her head attempted to pull back, but the angle made it impossible. She gagged and choked, fondling my balls with one hand while making a desperate attempt to yank her head away from the intrusive muscle. After her failed attempt, she accepted her place and relaxed her throat, allowing the last portion of flesh to enter her mouth. Her esophagus bulged as the shaft pressed deeper. Even with her unsavory position, she continued trying to suck to her best abilities.

With my erection buried down her throat, I ate her out with a renewed vigor. In my incoherent haze of thoughts, I pushed on in a desperate attempt to make her climax. My lips formed an airtight seal around her clit, and I sucked with all my might as my nose was still buried in her sopping folds.

My work was rewarded with a muffled scream. Wild convulsions ripped through Rose's body as her juices sprayed onto my face, burning my nose with the fragrant scent.

The dryad thrashed, struggling with all her might to pull off of the organ that choked her. I acquiesced her unspoken request and hauled her upwards, dislodging my pulsing member from her mouth. She panted and coughed, revelling in the ability to breath again.

"Master," she panted, "May I… ride you… please?"

I twisted her around, switching her position so that she straddled my waist. After an eternity of strain, I released the water, allowing it to refill the now dry space of the tub. I pressed my forehead against Rose's, gazing deep into her jaded eyes.

"Are you sure you're up for it?"

She gave her best attempt to nod, but settled for action instead. Without any further words, she reached down and centered herself above my erection. Several whimpers and cries echoed through the room as she lowered herself, taking the full mast inch by inch until our hips rested together. After what may have been minutes or hours of me drawing out her torture, she relished the sensation of being filled in the most lustrous of ways.

Some time passed before she was ready to continue. She rolled her hips with steady motions, ensuring that I stayed buried deep inside of her. Small whimpers and moans escaped her lips as she rode me, far quieter than her vocal performance only minutes prior. Her warm crevice welcomed me, squeezing around my length. The slick hug of her insides elicited a hearty groan as my erect penis throbbed inside of her.

Picking up the pace, she began bouncing on me while rolling her hips. Her hands formed a clasp around the back of my neck as our bodies slapped together, splashing the rose water from the tub. Before long, the sloshing of the water was accompanied by our mutual moans.

The orchestra of our sex carried on for a good long while. Every bounce was met with a thrust. Every whimper was met with a loving kiss. Our voices cried out, hers from the fullness in her cervix, mine from the slippery vice of her canal's embrace.

When our song of lust could be uttered no more, we both rested our heads in the shoulder of the other. Our panting became our music as she continued humping her phallic toy.

With no energy left for any further activities, I pressed my hands to her breasts and gave them a tender squeeze. Playfully dancing my fingers to their last tango, I pinched at her fleshy nubs as I kissed her neck.

Rose's bouncing turned to an erratic ride as pleasure flared from her chest and core. All technique was lost as she approached her finish. Her quivering folds matched the trembling of her legs. With her fingers digging into my back, she rode out her climax after the sensations became to much to bear.

"MASTERRR!"

Her vaginal muscles clamped down as her bittersweet love juices mixed with the bath water. Small tremors pulsed through her as she cried out into my shoulder.

For a few moments, we sat there, still and panting. Only our labored breaths and the ripples of the water were heard. Our green eyes collided for a few moments, followed by a brief and tender collision of our lips.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and rested against my shoulder, coming down from her euphoria. As I stroked her hair, a few wet drips gave me the indication that she was crying.

"What's wrong?" I whispered.

A sniffle later. "You never finished. I was greedy about the pleasure."

I pulled back and looked into her teary eyes. Wiping away the droplets on her cheeks and lips, I gave her a warm smile.

"Don't think for a second that I didn't enjoy myself. I'd all but forgotten what you nymphs can do."

A light blush dusted her cheeks, but her smile returned.

"Did you enjoy the massage?"

"Almost as much as I enjoy your company." I gave her a small peck on the forehead.

Readjusting myself so we were more comfortable, I couldn't help but relish in the warmth of the bath.

I sighed. "As much as I would love to stay here, I think it's about dinner time."

* * *

**A/N - Woah, wtf? Where did this come from? In all seriousness, it's been nearly ten chapters since we last saw any action with the nymphs. Of course, one of them is out of commission for the time being, but still. So what were your thoughts on Rose's backstory? Fleshes them out a bit more than having every one of the nymphs be cookie cutter pleasure givers. **

**I know this seems like everything was rushed. Like, seriously? Percy just met the girl, and he's already boning her? Well, given the mixed basket of how people took to the nymphs (PMs included, not just reviews), I decided to pull back on how in depth their story gets and focus on the characters we all know and love. Not to say the nymphs won't get their time to shine. Trust me, they will get a lot of attention when their chapters roll around. But in regards to the major plot I had going for them, it's likely going to be put on the backburner for the time being. Maybe when the first set of plots are wrapped up , I'll come back to them, but for now, they are going to be little more than servants with varying personalities and backstories.**

**Let it also be known that this little stall in Percy's attempt to see Khione _will_ have consequence later on. Heck, an entire trip/mini story takes place simply because he didn't visit her today. I'm not someone to forget about the characters, but it can be a bit overwhelming to keep track of who has interacted with Percy and what everyone should be doing. I give them lives outside of Percy after all. That's why you see new friendships and rumors start to float around, along with certain characters not showing up on screen (is that even the right term if it's in writing?). They all have their own things to do.**

**Micro rant aside, I do hope you guys enjoyed the lemony goodness of this chapter. Take note that Percy is now starting to get a bit bolder as well. That isn't an accident. Especially with the nymphs, Percy has a little more wiggle room to be a bit more... assertive. I understand that some people may feel like Percy forced Rose into the sex, but I can promise you, it was going to happen one way or another. Percy just didn't waste any time in getting to the main event.**

**As I said, I hope you guys are enjoying your reads. I see some regulars in the reviews, and it honestly makes me giddy whenever I get an email telling me someone left a review for me. We're over a month in, and I still can't believe how many people are following this story. Makes me curious about how my future stories will do. I have three more planned out, but I can definitely tell this one will not only be my longest, but probably my most well liked. However, I will most likely need a break after writing this one. I've done the math, and if I keep up my posting dates as they are (which I would like to think is pretty reasonable), then I should start wrapping up this story around late winter to early spring of next year. After that much time writing, I think some degree of burnout is inevitable. But when the time comes, I'll keep trying to crank the chapters out as reliably as I can manage.**

**Well, wasn't that a lovely little essay. If only I could write this much for my classes. In all seriousness, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and the chapters to come. Please leave a review (Go ahead. Make me get all giddy). This is Ronin signing off.**


	24. Tension, Tension Everywhere

Tension, Tension Everywhere

Rose and I wrapped up our little bath session in no time. I made her promise me to speak with Nimba when she got the chance.

Now redressed and feeling revitalized, though somewhat drowsy after the long day, I steered myself in the direction of the living room. Piper still lay rested on the couch, her light snores failing to echo throughout the room. The blanket had fallen off of her and lay heaped on the ground beneath her.

With a sigh, I wrapped the blanket around her once again, tucking the edges beneath her warm body. I caressed her cheek as she slept, hoping with all I could that she felt better in the morning.

"Sleep tight, Pipes."

I gave her forehead a quick kiss before making my way to the dining room.

My presence didn't go unnoticed at the table. Of course, I was the last one to show. Everyone else was already digging into the scrumptious meal. The smell gave off a pleasant odor of blackened bass. I wasn't quite sure how to feel about that. On one hand, fish were my father's subjects; on the other, the smell made my stomach rumble in anticipation. Take a guess as to which side won.

No time was wasted before a whole school of fish vanished down my gullet. It was delicious, but a tinge of guilt weighed on me. Annabeth still wasn't back. She wouldn't get to enjoy that meal because she was still stuck on Olympus with Hephaestus. It was my fault that she wasn't on my lap at the moment.

Then again, she may not have missed much in terms of the setting. Very little was spoken, aside from hushed whispers. New groups were formed, much to my appreciation; such as Hazel and the Hunters or Rachel with Calypso and Katie. Overall though, no one spoke out. It was more than apparent that Drew was being ousted from the others' conversations, so she ate with pout affixed to her face, making no further efforts to intrude. The empty chair next to me, Piper's chair, was a point of tension amongst the girls, drawing weary glances and mutters.

Reyna sat in silence, trying her best to avoid drawing attention. I wanted to speak with her; talk to her about earlier. It was unfair for her to go through so much just to find me in the arms or lips of another girl whenever she saw me. But I couldn't talk to her then. She deserved better than to be called out for this very private matter in front of everyone.

"So," I said, doing my best not to choke on the awkwardness of speaking out, "How's everyone been these past two days?"

Rachel snorted. "About as merry as an Olympian family reunion."

I frowned. "That bad, huh?"

Katie spoke. "Depends on who it is. All things considered, most of us are pulling through. Just a few… hiccups along the way…"

She glanced towards the empty chair, making no effort to hide her shifting eyes.

"So is it true?"

I turned back to an expectant looking Rachel.

"Is what true?"

"About Piper."

_Because that narrows it down…_

"What about her? A lot's happened with Piper these past few days."

She sighed, exasperated. "Is it true that she… well… attacked Khione?"

_Crap, I forgot to check up on her! Ugh, I'll go tomorrow morning…_

"We both did, okay? Let's get it out in the open. Yes, it happened. I won't act like it didn't."

Several heads turned away at this news. No one dared to meet my eyes, except for one person.

"Oh, come on, girls," Calypso said, "you need to stop this! It wasn't their fault!"

Thalia scoffed. "Right, so when I walk into the dungeon because of the screaming, and see Piper taking her knife to Khione like a voodoo doll, it's totally Khione's fault…"

"It's no one's fault," I said. "There was something else at work then."

Thalia faltered. "What?"

"It's true," Calypso said. "I felt some other magic at work. I don't know whose it was, but someone was influencing them."

Thalia leaned back in her chair, taking everything in.

"Huh, that would explain a lot… Wait, please don't tell me that it's Medea or Circe meddling again. We've dealt with enough charmspeakers for a lifetime."

I couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Yeah, well… hold up. If you saw Piper doing that, why didn't you stop her? You could've done something about it."

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, like I'm gonna try and stop Piper as she's laying waste to a goddess. What could go wrong?"

"Cut her some slack," Hazel interjected. "She's been through enough."

I smiled at Hazel, thankful she still stuck up for Piper. "Yeah, everyone here just needs some time to unwind. We're all still tense from the war, so let's just take some time to relax."

"Relax?!" Thalia said, slamming her fist down on the table. "You just said that there's someone controlling you and making you attack other people! We can't just relax!"

"... Well, for one thing, it's only happened once. Also, it seems like it might be tied to a specific area."

"What?" Everyone looked on with newfound curiosity.

"Whatever happened seemed to wear off the moment Piper and I left the dungeon. Almost like walking out of a trance in a sense. So as long as we avoid it, there shouldn't be any issues for now."

"So, what?" Thalia said. "You're just going to abandon Khione down there? I can live with that."

I gave her a glare. "No, I'm not. I'll go check on her tomorrow morning. I'll get someone to watch over me from the outside to keep me in check."

"Pfft, right. No offense, Kelp Head, but if you lose your cool, no one in their right mind would try and stop you."

"Well, I guess that makes you the perfect candidate," I said with a smirk.

She raised her finger and opened her mouth to respond before hesitating. Her hand closed, as did her mouth before she took a breath.

"Okay, fair point."

I raised my fork to take another bite. "Then it's settled. You'll help keep me in check tomorrow."

_ZAP!_

My fork hit the table as a jolt of electricity made my entire arm go numb.

"What was that for?!"

An evil gleam shone in her eyes.

"My service fee. It's also my way of warning you to not try anything tomorrow."

I groaned. "Like I needed a reminder. Besides, I'm taking Silena to get you guys clothes tomorrow. My schedule doesn't have time for that."

A tense silence fell upon the room as those words settled. Little did I realize what my words entailed… until just too late.

"Excuse me," Reyna said. She stood from her chair and hurried from the table. As she did, a single teary glare bored into me before she turned away, making her way towards her room.

"Aw, crap." I stood up to follow her.

"Don't even think about it, Kelp Head," Thalia said. "I've seen that face before, and you won't make this any better. I'll go talk to her."

With that, Thalia followed Reyna. I stood there for a few seconds, unsure of what to do. Following my eventual return to my seat, dinner wrapped up without another word. Silena stared down at her food, but made no effort to eat any more, drawing some unfriendly and envious glares from a few of the others.

* * *

With the conclusion of the meal, everyone trickled away from the dining room to their own respective abodes. As for myself, my return was cut off by none other than a bashful oceanid.

"Well, hello there. I see you've been patient."

Palírroia bowed her head. "As patient as I could muster. It has been difficult waiting for you, Master." Her eyebrows shot up. "But only in the best of ways!"

I chuckled in response. "Well that's good to know…"

She frowned. "Is there something wrong, Master?"

My hair swayed with the shake of my head, covering my eyes. "Don't worry about it. Just a long day."

"Oh." Her head bowed before shooting it back up. "Would you like to talk about it? I'd be more than happy to listen again."

The hint of excitement in her voice didn't go unnoticed. There was no denying that venting a bit would help.

"Alright, you've twisted my arm. Let's head on inside though."

She paused, not quite registering my choice of words before listening to the last part. We made our way into my room and rested on the bed. As we rested against the headboard, she pulled her knees up to her chest, eyeing me as though I were a lion; relaxed and lazy, but waiting for the proper moment to strike.

I couldn't help but notice the way her dark hair reflected blue in the light. The lush curtain accentuated her high cheekbones and contrasted with the otherwise lighter hues of her skin.

"So… um… what troubles you, Master?"

I let out an exhausted sigh. "It's just stressful trying to keep everyone in line and happy. On one hand, some of the girls are fighting among themselves. Then there are others that are fighting against me. It's just… well… exhausting."

Palírroia tucked her chin between her knees. "I am sorry to hear that, Master. If it helps, you made a very good impression on Rose."

"Oh?" I raised my eyebrow.

She nodded. "Yes. She wouldn't stop talking about the time you spent together. I'm glad you gave her an enjoyable experience. She needs to build up her pleasant memories."

My lips took a downturn. "So I've heard. The whole debacle with Nimba's sister really took a toll on her."

She frowned. "Sierra… Yes, you were supposed to have six handmaidens. But a few hours after we arrived, Sierra tried to swim away from the island… to no avail."

I rested my arm around her shoulders and pulled her against my chest. Minute sniffles left Palírroia as she wept for the lost nymph.

"I have a feeling that I already know the answer, but do you know why she did that?"

She mumbled into my chest. "Is it so difficult to believe? The temptation of freedom was too great for her to resist. She panicked and fled in hopes of escaping a life of servitude."

That hit me like a punch in the gut. No matter how she tried to coax her words, their implication was clear. _I _was the one they were afraid of.

"I figured as much. This may not mean much, but for what it's worth, I am sorry about that. No one should have to go through that."

She stared up at me with glassy eyes. "To hear those words from someone that I once thought would be a tyrant… well, I can say with a whole certainty that you have earned my trust."

She pulled herself up and gave me a delicate kiss before returning to her resting place on my chest.

"Speaking of trust," I said, "what are your thoughts on the other girls?"

She glanced up with bleary eyes, but quickly darted them away, resting her head snuggly against my chest.

"I cannot say much. They don't really speak to us all that often. Apparently, Hazel is in good standing with the others. As are Katie and Calypso."

That brought a smile to my face. "I can't say that surprises me. What about the Hunters? Anything on them?"

She shrugged against me, her voice now drooping with fatigue. "They wished to be left to their own devices. We respected that."

"Hmm." I stroked her hair as her breathing slowed. "What about Drew?"

She tensed. "That… is another story all on its own."

My fingers paused halfway down her raven locks. "How so? What happened?"

Palírroia pulled herself up and rolled off of me, resting on her elbows to my side, her chin held up by her hands.

"Ever since she arrived, she has tried ordering us around like clockwork. We have tried explaining to her that we are to follow _your_ will, not hers. Despite that, she still persisted."

I pressed my hand to my chin, taking in her words. "Anything else?"

She pondered for a moment. "I… I believe I heard talk among some of the others, Rachel and Katie especially. They brought up something about Drew trying to bargain her way to the top. Something about sharing your bed as a play for power."

I sighed in exasperation. "No surprise there. She almost got her title of head counselor back. Seems like it's in her nature to try and grasp for power."

She nodded, her eyes downcast. "It seems as though your previous words were true."

I cocked an eyebrow. "What words?"

"That this is nothing more than a glorified prison. Complete with power hungry subjects. It honestly reminds me of the training guilds."

"How so?"

Her shoulders sagged. "We all answer to the will of one person, whom we cannot ever protect ourselves from. The only power we carry is among the other slaves, or concubines in this case. And the biggest threat comes not from the trainers, but from the other girls."

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, drawing her slightly closer. She eagerly leaned in and rested her head against me, her eyes closing slightly.

"How were the other nymphs the biggest threat? And I'm not really as bad as the trainers, am I?"

Her eyes shot open. "NO! I didn't mean it like that, Master!"

"Hey, hey, hey, it's alright," I said, running my fingers through her hair once more. "No need to panic. So how were the nymphs worse than the trainers? The trainers were the ones to beat you."

She frowned with a wince, likely recalling the details of her experiences. "Yes, but if another nymph gained their favor, she could use that to her advantage. Oftentimes, at the expense of another nymph's life."

"Why would they do that?" I gave my best efforts in keeping my voice level.

"Why would Drew attempt to take charge of handmaidens that do not belong to her? Because it is a simple power play. We nymphs had no power within the ranks, so the few that earned it through favor were often corrupted by it."

"Great. So even the meek can become tyrants."

"They often become the worst."

I sighed in resignation. "Well, you won't have to worry about that with me. Like I said when we first met, I want you guys to keep me in check."

Her hand snaked under my shirt, trailing her fingers up my abdomen. "And we will. Though I do not believe it will be necessary for quite some time."

"Oh, yeah? What makes you so sure about that?"

"Because we have been lying in your bed for near half an hour and I have yet to be defiled."

I narrowed my eyes at her words. "Oh, so it's like that, is it?"

She giggled innocently, but her hand trailed downwards, inching closer to my pelvis.

"Well," I continued, "it doesn't look like you mind the idea of being defiled."

She eyed me from beneath her lashes. "Not at all. In fact, I have been craving it for the past few hours."

"What if I told you that Piper was supposed to join us?"

She hesitated. "That… could be interesting. She is very beautiful by all accounts; and she has been kind to us as well. Returning the favor would not be an issue for me, but…"

"… But?"

"But I heard she is not well."

I sighed. "No, she's not. Like I said, she was _supposed _to join us. The incident which led to her incapacitation is what I was getting at earlier."

"Oh… I am sorry to hear that."

"Don't worry about it." I smiled mischievously. "But maybe I should demonstrate my cruelty to you to make up for it."

She paled at my words. "If… if you wish it."

"Good." I kissed her forehead. "Because I'm going to do absolutely nothing."

"Master?"

"Let me rephrase that. I'm exhausted, so I'm going to sleep without giving you the relief you wanted."

She let out a breath of relief, to almost immediately perk back up. "But… you promised…"

I gave my best impression of an evil grin. "Yes I did. But since you wanted to poke fun at me for not taking you tonight, I'll simply deny you that pleasure… for now."

She pouted. "Yes, Master…"

I pulled her close to me as I settled under the covers, dragging her under with me. "Don't worry, I'll make it up to you tomorrow."

She smiled as I gave her a peck on the lips. "Thank you, Master. I look forward to it."

With that, she pulled herself against my chest and fell asleep. Only a few minutes passed before I followed suit and did the same.

* * *

I awoke to a strange, albeit not unwelcome, feeling. The mound under the covers of the bed kept no secret as to the lecherous activity in progress. Pulling the blanket away, I found myself gazing upon the form of Palírroia. Her eyes glanced up as she gave me a cheerful grin. Of course, it looked a bit weird with a length of flesh in her mouth.

"Well, good morning, Palírroia."

She responded without a word, but with cradling my balls in her hand and forcing the entire length down her throat, keeping eye contact the entire time as she did. Her warm mouth enveloped me, her tongue massaged the underside of my shaft.

I let out a soft sigh as her throat massaged me, simply taking in the joy of the calm morning.

"I see you're enjoying yourself…"

_Uh, oh._

Annabeth lay to my side, though she refused to look at me. Rather her gaze was fixated on the nymph laying at my waist. She wore nothing aside from some simple underwear, but the morning light glowed radiantly against her tan skin. That very same light also happened to accentuate the ferocity of her grey eyed stare.

Palírroia noticed the silence and looked up to meet Annabeth's gaze, though she still kept me inside of her mouth. Unsettled, she immediately lowered her eyes, her once cheerful smile turned to an expression of panic. Annabeth refused to relent her glare until Palírroia completely removed herself from me, leaving my erection standing full mast, glistening with her saliva in the morning light. I slightly groaned from the loss of contact as Palírroia scooted back until she sat at my feet, keeping her head bowed under Annabeth.

"That was unnecessary," I said.

Annabeth huffed. "I come home last night to find you in bed with someone else, and she's sucking you off as I wake up, but I'm the one being called out?!"

Palírroia whimpered pitifully at Annabeth's words, shrinking away until she was nearly off the bed entirely.

I let out a sigh. "Palírroia, come up here please." I held out my hand and beckoned her towards me.

She obeyed and crawled to me, taking extra care to avoid direct eye contact with Annabeth. Upon reaching me, she knelt down to my side, opposite of my girlfriend, taking my hand in hers, though she gave no indication of realizing she did. Her fingers trembled in my grip.

"You've done nothing wrong." I leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Go ahead and take care of your morning duties. I'll come looking for you in a bit."

She nodded and skittishly took her leave of the room. I turned my attention to a pouting Annabeth, her gaze locked firmly where Palírroia was kneeling.

"What?" she snapped.

"You know very well what. She didn't deserve that."

"Oh, so I'm the bad guy?" she snarled. "I'm sorry that I have a problem with seeing my _boyfriend's dick _in someone else's mouth!"

"If I recall correctly, you were the one who told me to enjoy myself. What did you expect would happen?"

She hesitated. "Yeah, but… but… argh!"

"Besides, just three nights ago, I walked in on you and Piper."

"But you already had sex with her!"

"What, did you want a turn with my nymphs now as well? Also, where is this even coming from? You weren't nearly this hostile with the others."

"... That was different."

"How? What suddenly makes this so different that you had to nearly give a nymph a panic attack with your glare alone?"

"It's not my fault that she's so easily shaken."

My shoulders fell. "Annabeth, she's spent her entire life being abused. Do you realize that your glare may have been _very _familiar for her?"

She paused, paling as the realization hit her. "I… I didn't think…"

"Didn't think what? I don't think you get it, you're _terrifying_."

She clenched her fists in the sheets. "Well, maybe you shouldn't go bringing other girls into our bed! You ever think about that?!"

"... So that's it then? It's not about what I'm doing, but where I'm doing it? Besides, that's pretty hypocritical for someone who was eating out her best friend on this bed a few nights ago."

"I already told you, you already had—"

"That doesn't change anything! Annabeth, you told me to enjoy myself. I figured since you brought Piper in here, you wanted some fun as well. I wasn't going to call you out on it. But now here you are, upset about the very thing you told me not to worry about."

"... But I didn't have to see it then." Her eyes teared up as she looked at me. "For the past several days, I've simply been pretending that nothing was happening between you and the girls; that we were out here on a permanent vacation. It was made even easier since I started my classes. But now… now I can't pretend anymore. Not with that image seared in my mind."

"Annabeth…"

She buried her face in her hands. "I was never happy about this, Percy. After so many months, I thought I had you to myself. But I was wrong. I guess this was the gods' way of laughing at me for getting my hopes up."

"So that's what this was all about? You got—"

"Yes, I got jealous, okay?"

"I was going to say territorial, but close enough… You could have talked to me, you know. I've been wanting to see you these past couple days anyways. A lot's happened."

She groaned. "So I've heard."

"And you know that I could always use your help as well. We could have talked about this already."

"Pfft, right. Let me complain about how you're banging chicks left and right. That's not exactly something people like talking about."

"Maybe not, but it beats holding it in all this time. Besides, you do realize that if you wanted to have sex or just spend time with me, all you'd have to do is find me."

"And risk seeing you pounding Drew like a five dollar whore? Thanks, but I'm good."

"Actually, we haven't done anything. Not for a lack of trying on her part. Regardless, what is it going to take for you to get through this?"

She glared at me with puffy red eyes. "Nothing. I'll be fine."

"No, you won't." I paused for a second as an idea came to mind. "This is going to sound weird, but why don't you go taking some of the other girls for a spin."

Her mouth dropped. "Percy, you know I'm not into girls."

I raised an eyebrow. "Piper?"

"That was—"

"Different, I know. And it's always going to be 'different' with each girl. So you may as well assert your dominance somewhere, and get this out of your system."

She glared back, repulsed. "I can't even believe you'd think I would just go sleeping around like—"

"Like me?"

She turned away. "You know that's not what I was going to say."

"No. But it's true."

I let out an exasperated sigh when she didn't respond.

"I guess Calypso was right," I muttered.

Annabeth turned her head. "What was that?"

I turned over, facing away from her. "Calypso warned me that there would likely be conflict between the girls here. You, in particular, were of special interest, seeing as you appeared in one of my first nightmares in days."

"Then why didn't _you_ tell me about it before?! Why go to Calypso?!"

The fact that she didn't even ask about the nightmare grinded my gears a bit, but I maintained my composure as best as I could.

I turned looked over my shoulder to see her face reddening.

"Maybe because this happened when my mom was around. I didn't want her worrying again. Not this soon after seeing me for the first time in months. Calypso's been helping me out with all the crap while you were gone."

"You could have Iris messaged me. It wouldn't matter what time of night or day it is; I'm always here."

"I wasn't thinking straight the night it happened. Plus it was only one of the three nightmares I had. Calypso understood my nightmares better because she was there to witness the… stuff that happened."

She crossed her arms and huffed. "So you won't even tell me what happened? Glad to know you found someone to latch on to while I'm away. I was expecting Piper to be that girl."

I gave her a frustrated glare. "Leave them out of this. I wanted to tell you, Annabeth. I _needed_ to tell you. But right now, you aren't in the right state of mind. You're angry, I get it. I was too, but you were the one who told me to push through this."

She stood up from the bed and made her way to the dresser.

"This is going nowhere. I have to get ready for my classes."

"Annabeth, could you at least—"

"No! Besides, I'm sure you have plenty of other things to _do_ today."

I didn't like that implication.

"So you're just going to let this go unresolved?"

"There is no resolution to this, Percy. Just forget about it. Better yet, go talk to Calypso about it, since she's your new buddy."

"I told you to leave them out of this. The others don't deserve for you to put them down like that."

She turned back to me, fully dressed.

"Well too bad. Don't think for a second that they don't do the same with me. I know damn well that people talk about me behind my back."

"Only thing I've heard so far is how damn scary you are, especially when you get mad."

"Psh, right. Remind me for the hundredth time, will you? Whatever… But on the subject of other girls… Something tells me that more happened between you and Calypso than you're letting on."

"What gave you that impression?"

"I'm not an idiot, Percy. I know how you felt about her long before this."

"Really? Please tell me then, because I didn't even know what to feel about her."

"That's besides the point. Answer the question though. What happened?"

_Not giving me much room to work with here…_

"I may have proposed to her…"

If looks could kill, I'd be on the Fields of Punishment right now. Annabeth's icy glare left a chill in my spine before she strode over to the door. I jumped out of the bed and took hold of her wrist, to which she nearly bit my hand off.

"Of all the things you could do, _that's_ what you go for?! Of all the girls—"

"Of all the girls, she's the one who most deserves freedom! She's spent millennia on one island!"

"But you couldn't have at least proposed to me _first_!?"

"... Wise Girl."

"I see where your priorities lie, Percy. And here I actually thought that you would propose to me."

"Why not now? I have nothing against—"

"No! You ask me now, and my answer will be no! It's too late, Percy. Your window is closed."

She continued for the door. I went for broke and lunged at her, wrapping my arms around her shoulder. I buried my face in her neck and gave her as many tender kisses as I could.

"I love you, Annabeth."

She hesitated for a few seconds before sniffing.

"Yeah."

She shrugged my arms off of her and left the room, closing the door behind her. I was left there standing, hopelessly praying that she would come back in the room and throw her arms around me. Maybe we could look back on this as the day that she duped me into thinking she was angriest with me. Maybe all could be forgiven as our kiss melted away our problems.

No such luck; the door remained still.

* * *

**A/N - And this brings a conclusion to yet another chapter. Oh, the drama. I told you I didn't forget about Khione. And Annabeth... Girl, you need to do some self reflecting. Where did this personality switch come from?**

**All joking aside, I hope you guys enjoyed. I must have done something right last chapter. Almost twenty reviews! Holy crap guys, what did I do differently to warrant that many responses? I need to do more. Is it because you wanted to make me giddy? Well, I appreciate it.**

**This being said, now comes the less fortunate news. My workload has been spiking out of nowhere these past few days. I work security for multiple sites, so I tend to get dragged around a lot. If I'm lucky, I wind up with a quiet night where I can write in peace. If not... I wind up staring down the barrel of a gun in the hands of a pissed off, recently fired employee... Yeah... So my point in all this is I might take a bit longer to upload future chapters. Heck, as I'm posting this, I should already be asleep. I leave for work at 4:30 in the morning because of some party I have to guard at a Marriott hotel. Always busy, never resting. I hope you guys can understand. I'm not asking for a hiatus or anything, but I may not be as consistent with my uploading as I have been for the past month.**

**Now with my pleading out of the way, I can actually bring this chapter to a close. Leave a review, guys. Let's see if we can beat our previous record. Ha ha, just kidding... Though it would be nice. This is Ronin signing off.**


	25. Is There a Doctor in the House?

Is There a Doctor in the House? Oh Wait, That's Me

Following the little… event, I knew it wouldn't be in my best interest to go around fuming. With that in mind, a shower was most definitely in order. After my morning routine, I decided to take care of the check ups for the day before taking Silena to go shopping.

Before long, I found myself in Piper's unofficially claimed living room. She lied on the couch, breathing gently as the blanket nearly concealed her every movement. I knelt down to her level and ran my fingers through her messy chocolate brown hair.

She gave a slight moan as her eyes fluttered open, glassy and disoriented, but still as radiant and colorful as sea mist on a sunny day. Her head leaned against my touch and her lips formed a gentle smile.

"Hey, Pipes," I said. "How are you feeling?"

She groaned slightly. "Like your pegasus decided to club me upside the head."

That earned a slight snicker from me. "Well, I can promise he didn't do that. Other than that, are you feeling okay? Do you need anything?"

She yawned slightly, wincing from the strain on her head. "Some ambrosia would be nice…"

I smiled apologetically. "I wish I could help with that. However, I could use some water to help out."

She eyed me tiredly. "Yeah," she mumbled with a smile, "that could work."

Minutes later, I returned with a trusty water glass. I wasted no time spreading it over her head, calling on the sea to heal her wound and alleviate her pain.

She moaned as the cool water massaged her scalp, caressing her lovingly as the sea would cradle the feather of a seagull. Her hand reached out from under the blanket and took hold of mine, her fingers slowly flexing and relaxing in my grip as her pain vanished. I'm sure she felt better long in advance, but she never told me to stop. So for a near half hour I ran the water against her head, adding my fingers to the mix to knead her scalp. She let out soft moans through parted lips as she leaned into my hand, trying with all her might to gain more stimulation, though she was too exhausted to do much.

After deciding her water massage session was finished, I sent the liquid back into the cup. Piper pouted slightly, which looked cute on her sleepy face.

"Better now?"

"Mhm, but I was enjoying that."

I cracked a smile at her sleepy words. "Maybe I'll give you a more thorough water massage when you're better. For now you need to rest."

She nodded sleepily, but her grip on my hand tightened.

"Could you join me on here? I know it's a tight fit, but it would definitely be worth it. Maybe you could be my pillow."

I laughed a bit at her words and gave her a small kiss. Her lips moved as I pulled away, as though she didn't realize she was kissing the air.

"I would love to, but there are other things I have to do. If you're feeling better tonight, I'll definitely join you."

She grumbled, but a slight smile appeared on her lips. "It's always something. Well, go do your master stuff."

I gave her a kiss and began to walk away.

"Percy."

I turned back to see her head slightly peeking over the arm of the couch.

"Thanks for helping me out so much. I really don't deserve someone like you."

I gave as warm of a smile as I could muster without letting my pride show.

"Of course, Pipes. Anytime you need help, just ask me."

With that, I turned back around and strolled down the hall with my glass of water in hand. If my experience told me anything, a very expectant demigoddess would be waiting for me downstairs.

* * *

Thalia leaned against the wall outside of the dungeon as I approached. She idly rolled her drachma over her knuckles as she stared intently at the metal door. Her hawkish features tensed as I approached, but relaxed as she recognized my gait.

"Took you long enough. I was getting bored down here."

"Yeah, well… I had some other things happen."

She laughed, crossing her arms and pulling herself off the wall. "That doesn't surprise me. I can't imagine everything being easy for you these past few days."

"Wow, is the mighty Thalia Grace actually showing concern for me?"

She stuck her tongue out in response to my words. "While I may want to pummel you into the dirt sometimes, you are still one of my best friends, Kelp Head. So of course I'm concerned for you. That's why I'm not letting you tackle these problems alone."

That pulled a smile across my face. "Glad to hear it. Speaking of which, how did things go with Reyna?"

"We talked," she said simply.

"And?"

"Look, she's the better person to ask. But she'll come to you on her own time. Right now, we're working on a little plan, but we need to figure out some of the details before we go through with it."

I took notice of the drachma in her hand. The lightning bolt on the side facing me drew a curious quirk in my eyebrow. She realized what I was staring at and tucked the coin into her pocket.

"No, it has nothing to do with that. So if you're thinking you'll get a threesome or something out of us, think again." She paused as a thoughtful look etched across her face. "Well, it better not happen for a while at least, so keep it in your pants."

My pants tightened a bit at the prospect. "Two tough girls at once? May as well throw in Clarisse for extra credit."

She wrinkled her nose. "Thanks, but I'll pass on that. Reyna, I see no major issue with, but the fact that you'd even think of bringing Clarisse into this…" She shuddered as her mind filled in the gaps, as did I.

"Well, anyways," she continued, "I believe we have an appointment to make."

I nodded and pressed against the heavy door. To no surprise of my own, it was unlocked. No doubt everyone avoided it like the plague after rumors about what happened started circulating. Funny how the girl who started them was standing behind me.

Thalia placed her hand on my shoulder when she saw me tense up. I could feel the magic at work before I even entered the dungeon. A manic paranoia began to settle on me only to be ripped away by the gentle touch.

"You've got this," she said.

I took a breath and marched into the room. The room was as cold and bleak as Asphodel. Memories of my previous actions in there weighed down my spirit. The guilt was only reinforced when we looked at Khione.

"Di immortales," Thalia muttered. "Whatever god caused this, I'll turn them into rotisserie with my spear up their ass."

Whatever whispers Thalia told the others about Piper's actions against Khione, I doubted they could quite match the horrors of the goddess's current mangled form. She was returned to her position hanging from chains, but now she looked as though she'd been dead for days. Her body was coated in massive gashes from head to toe, some no longer than a finger, others running along the entire length of her leg. Mottled purple, blue, and gold bruises formed a grotesque mosaic across her face and torso. Her arm and neck were both twisted in awkward angles. Though her body hung lifelessly from the chains, her raspy breaths indicated she was in much worse condition than what she showed. Trails of dried ichor clung to her body like little lightning tattoos.

One stream in particular caught my attention, as it still dripped from her foot into a golden puddle on the cobbled floor. The line of ichor trailed up her leg, its source apparently from between her thighs. A wave of nausea crashed over me as I realized what exactly was bleeding; it was most likely the very place where Piper buried her dagger down to the hilt.

I nearly vomited at the sight, but I couldn't let the image, or the smell for that matter, get the best of me. She needed healing.

The fact that Piper and I did this to her made me want to stick Riptide in my mouth and uncap it. To think Piper, who only a few minutes prior was sleepily asking me to cuddle with her on a couch as she slept, was capable of something of this magnitude was a terrifying realization.

As I approached her, Khione's face came into clearer view. Her once beautiful features now lay twisted and swollen; one cheekbone caved in entirely; her lips hung loosely from her mouth, bound only by small tissues. Her left eye was swollen, along with the entire portion of her face surrounding it. A nasty yellow and purple bruise glowed in the coral light.

She twitched upon realizing she wasn't alone. Her eyes, or eye, rose to meet mine. An immediate panic ensued with the goddess, as she thrashed in her chains, trying to pull herself away from me while whimpering pitifully. The fact that she was reduced to this nearly made me crumble on the spot. After all, I was the one who let this happen.

I raised my hand and opened the cell door, trying to move as slowly as possible as she thrashed in her chains. Thalia remained at the door, her hand now firmly gripping her spear. I walked in and did my best to keep my voice level.

"I'm not here to hurt you. Just let me help you."

Reasonably, my words fell on deaf ears. She continued her vain attempts to escape, further bruising her shackled wrists and ankles.

I realized she wasn't going to listen. After all, why would she? So rather than telling her again, I decided to show her. With a wave of my hand, the water in my glass formed a small tendrils that hugged her body. She recoiled on contact, but seemed to notice it wasn't hurting her. With her realization, her struggling halted and she looked down at me with her one good eye.

Now with her thrashing settled, I worked my magic as best as I could. I started from top to bottom, healing any injury on her head, slowly reconstructing her face piece by piece. With the restoration of her pale countenance completed, I continued my work downward.

With about ten minutes, her neck was back in place, her torso and arms were cleared of their cuts and bruises, her bones were fixed, and her blood was pulled back into her body. I hesitated when I came to her waist. The idea of the pain that wound caused made me want to double over on the spot. She seemed to share my sentiment; her silent, but panicked expression told me this was not something she was comfortable with.

I rested my hand on her shoulder, to which she recoiled. The chains rattled in her efforts, though she moved a grand total of three inches closer to the wall.

"This is going to feel weird, but I promise I won't try to hurt you."

She shivered a nod, not that she had many other options in her position. With a delicate wave of my hand, a thin tendril of water slithered into her core. It expanded to coat her insides, washing away the ichor and healing the internal wounds. She wriggled around, her hands clenched and teeth gritted. No doubt, this was not a pleasant experience for her.

"If you want me to stop, tell me."

"No matter what I say, I will be at a loss. Either I suffer through this or let that savage's attacks continue to wound me."

I returned a halfhearted glare. "You're not exactly in a position to go bad mouthing Piper."

She hung her head. "It's not like it could get any worse for me."

I withdrew the water from her, which, if my ears weren't deceiving me, almost elicited a moan from the goddess. The liquid traveled down her legs, healing the wounds as it went.

"Let's not forget you brought this on yourself. You sided with Gaia. You attacked Piper several times. You attacked a nymph who was simply trying to feed you."

She turned her head away. "Would you do any different in my position? If not for this war, would you even know of me?"

I hesitated. "There are better ways to make yourself known. A gentle flurry can be just as powerful as the gale of a blizzard."

"Do you honestly believe that? What do you think keeps your harlots in line, love or fear?"

I ignored her choice of words. "You seem to think we're at war still. In times of war, fear works wonders. In times of peace, love will keep the masses unified."

She pursed her lips. "I've heard of your idiocy. Your words both prove and disprove the claims, Jackson."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It is an observation. I won't deny you've made me curious. Maybe you have what it takes to be a good master. Or maybe you will fall to your own meekness."

My gaze hardened. "Never mistake meekness for weakness. Maybe I should introduce you to my friend, Hazel, to prove that point."

She paled, if that was possible. "Um. No… please."

A smile crawled across my face. "That was fear. Now let me show you some love."

I fashioned the water into a comb and stroked it down her hair. The knots unfurled and moistened. She leaned into the sensation, closing her eyes. Her arms tugged at the chains, though she didn't appear afraid.

"Are you enjoying this?"

She pouted. "This is the gentlest touch I've had in years."

I sent the water back into the cup and rested a hand on her cheek. Though she flinched initially, she eased the trepidation in her face, a look of tranquility crossing her expression. The moment passed, and her eyes hardened into an icy glare.

"I will not be manipulated, Jackson. You can take your kindness and stuff it!"

That jab caused something to snap. My hand flicked towards her and the water flew around her neck, compressing slowly into a vice. She writhed and choked under the grip, but nothing she could do would make me withhold the punishment she deserved.

My hand closed into a fist, ready to constrict her throat. Before I could, a loud _POP_ rung in my ears and everything went black.

I woke to see a pair of electric blue eyes staring back at me. If my cheek was anything to go by, Thalia just slapped me awake.

"What happened?"

She smirked. "Looks like what you said was true. You were doing fine, but you lost it after a while and started choking her out."

My head sank into my hands. "Great. All the more proof I'm not in control of myself."

_SLAP!_

"Ow! Hey, I'm already awake!"

Thalia scowled. "This is no time for self pity, Kelp Head. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and actually do something about this."

"But-"—"

"No 'buts!' Otherwise my spear will wind up in yours!"

My glutes clenched at the thought. "Yes, ma'am."

"Di immortales, Percy! Stop letting me push you around!"

To accentuate her point, she gripped my shoulders and slammed me against the wall.

"You need to start standing up for yourself! Stop being so damn worried about everyone else! No one is going to follow you if you won't take a stand!"

"Don't you think I've done that? I beat a goddess half to death and nearly turned Drew into a smoothie!"

Her grip tightened, driving her nails into my shoulders. "Not like that, Kelp Head! You need to be assertive, not abusive! Stand for yourself and make sure things go your way!"

"O… okay. I'll try."

_SLAP!_

"Oh, come on! I said I'll—"

_SLAP!_

"Do it then. Assert yourself!"

She pulled back her arm to strike, and I countered. Taking hold of the open flaps of her leather jacket, I rushed her against the opposite wall. She let out a gasp and attempted to fight back, but I pinned my hand around her throat and began to squeeze; not enough to hurt her, but more than enough to be uncomfortable.

"You want assertiveness, Pinecone Face!? I'll show you some damn assertiveness."

_SMACK!_

My hand crossed Thalia's face in a blinding strike, leaving her far more than stunned with my action.

"Did you just—"

My grip tightened around her throat.

"That assertive enough for you?"

She nodded her head, her body quivering underneath me. I didn't fail to notice her legs rubbing together, nor the snap of electricity running through her hand; a sure sign she was nervous… among other things.

"Good."

I released her from my grip, to which she immediately muttered a goodbye and shuffled down the corridor, rubbing her arm and cursing herself under her breath. A shiver went up my spine as I came to a sudden realization.

_I just put Thalia in her place._

Waves of varying emotions swept over me. Never before did I imagine being in a position of power over Thalia. Yet here I was, glowering over her and pinning her to a wall. The part that wracked my anxiety up to eleven, though, was the fact that I liked it. I needed… more.

Of all the horrific thoughts to come to mind, only the desire to force Thalia to submit stood out. Make her drop to her knees and beg for me to spray a fresh load of cum all over her face. Make her pussy quiver and drip at the mere mention of me taking her, choking her, fucking her raw.

_Why? Why am I thinking like this?!_

I shook those thoughts out of my head and attempted to focus on any further tasks at hand. The image of a certain nymph popped into mind. Maybe it's about time I paid her a visit.

* * *

Nimba's room was definitely a bad omen for me. Nothing good ever came out of it, minus some help from Hestia… and a make out session with Palírroia… okay maybe it wasn't that bad. Either way, I found myself dreading the approach. _What will I find on the opposite side of the door? What if her condition goes back to the way it was before? Or worse?!_

The door swung open, maybe a bit faster than I intended, and the sight before me dissuaded any thoughts of Nimba's poor health. She still lay in bed, but she seemed back to her usual chipper and overly energetic self. The last of the nymphs, Ashe if I recall correctly, kneeled at the side of the bed.

"Master!" Nimba called. "I can get back to work, I prom—"

"Don't worry about that. I just wanted to make sure you were better."

Ashe muttered something under her breath before standing up.

"If you'll excuse me."

She marched out of the room with a permanent scowl warping her face. I turned to see if I imagined it, but her curtain of chestnut hair made it nearly impossible to tell if she was scowling at me.

I turned to Nimba. "Um, is everything alright?"

"Please don't be angry with her. She hasn't adjusted as well as the rest of us."

"I'm not mad, just…" I trailed off. "Anyways, how are you feeling?"

She swung her legs out from under the covers and stood. "I'm feeling very…"

Her head swayed and she fell forward. A light shade of grey mixed with her pale complexion. Not wanting her to faceplant, I caught her as she lost balance.

"Don't push yourself. If you still need rest, then by all means, get some rest."

"But Master… I need to-"

"You need to take care of yourself."

I steered her back towards the bed and laid her down. She gave a half hearted attempt to push back, but she didn't have the strength to rebel. Her head hit the pillow with a soft _FLUMPH _and her eyes closed almost right after.

_Well, it could be worse. At least she's awake._

With my mind put to rest regarding everyone's health, I turned my attention towards my next goal. Before I go see Silena, I definitely needed to check up on Palírroia. There's no telling how she took to Annabeth's actions from earlier. Now with another goal in mind, I tucked Nimba into bed and left her room. Hopefully things are better than how I imagined.

* * *

**A/N - I know, I know. You don't even have to say it. "Ronin, what took you so long?" _Dammit_, I just said you don't have to say it. Before someone decides to castrate me like a Florida rapist (seriously, thank you, Florida), at least hear me out. Given some of the more... aggressive themes of this chapter, I needed to restrain myself from letting Percy go too far. Unfortunately, there was an... incident at work with one of the managers (not mine) that left me a bit... okay, severely emotional. Now I have a canker sore to show for it... Yay, me. Regardless, I was afraid of writing for a few days, because I didn't want to push my problems and have it reflect in my writing, especially if Percy is already showing some aggressive sides. After all, I still want him to be the same Percy we all know and love. I don't want him behaving like Octavian. Mix this with a nice power outage from a thunderstorm last night as I was actually getting somewhere with my writing, and suddenly, getting a new chapter out seemed like an impossible task.**

**This being said, a word of warning. To those who live in the United States (as you are the ones most likely to be informed of this), be aware that I live in the southern coastal regions. As such, I am likely going to face quite a few residual effects of the storm bashing away at Louisiana. This being said, as I mentioned in previous chapters, I work security; and I am registered in a hurricane response unit for this security company. I don't know when, but sometime in the near future, I will have to go to that. When the time comes, I can't promise frequent updates, if any. I will still try my best to write, but I can't make any update promises. If nothing else, it will give me a buffer period to work with and keep myself from burning out. But back to the chapter.**

**So, what are your thoughts on the Khione situation? You didn't honestly think I was going to wrap it up with a pretty pink bow already, did you? With all the more confirmation regarding this outside force playing with Percy's head, what will he do? What can he do? And Thalia. I understand some people forgot she even existed. Understandable. It was kind of the point. The same could be said for the rest of the Hunters. But with this little seed planted, how will Thalia play out in future chapters? Will Percy give into his aggressive thoughts and fuck her like a bitch, or will he be gentle and caring for his best "girl" friend? Oh, to have such dilemmas...**

**I think this bit is long overdue. To all of the reviewers, thank you. While I have to admit, it is amusing to read some of the theories and suggestions (seriously, why would the girls actually try to kill Percy? I promise you, you don't want to bet money on that), I can say with a whole certainty that at least most, if not all, are either wrong or will not be used. Maybe you can figure out if yours is accurate to my future plans.**

**Speaking of thanks... To the people who messaged me these past few days, thank you. As stated above, I had a terrible (and straight up stupid) incident at work. Your words honestly helped make my day so much better. You know who you are. I wanted to reply in person, but I would end up venting all of my problems to you, and I didn't want to risk that. Also, to the Russian bot that wants me to, and I quote, "****steal my soul and heart and could make me feel glad," thank you, but I'm not interested. I've had enough bad experiences with that part of my life for several lifetimes.**

**And, once again, I let my author's note get out of hand... Thank you guys for your patience. I know waiting on an update is a pet peeve of many readers, especially if it breaks the scheduling of what the writer says they'll follow. As always, leave a review (I can see a steady increase in the number of reviews per chapter, and I honestly can't believe it!). This is Ronin signing off.**


	26. I Put in Some Work

I Put in Some Work

So many rooms blurred by in my efforts to find Palírroia, yet not once did it ever occur to me to search the kitchen. In my blind attempts to simply skim the area and move on, I nearly missed her, but a persistent muttering drew me in closer. My ears picked up on the vocals as I entered the kingdom of cutlery.

"Need to clean, need to clean, need to clean…" The words repeated endlessly, cycling as though it were a mantra or prayer to one of the gods.

Palírroia stood at the sink, vigorously scrubbing at an already shining bowl. Thŷella stood off at a slight distance, mopping the floor while eyeing her fellow oceanid. The look on her whitewashed eyes crumbled my heart. So lost and confused, yet clearly yearning to help her friend.

I approached Palírroia, pacing across with silent steps so as not to scare her further. As expected, she failed to notice my encroachment, her attention buried in the steel wool she used to wash an already pristine dish.

"Need to clean, need to clean…"

"Palírroia," I called.

_"Need to clean, need to clean, need to clean…"_

I pressed my hands to the rear of her upper arms, taking her triceps between my fingers, and attempted to pull her away. She didn't budge. Rather, she sped up her pace, producing rapid sloshes in the sink water. The counters around us shone brightly with the new aquatic addition, instantly pulling Palírroia's attention towards it.

"Need to clean, need to clean, need to clean…"

She slipped from my grip, materializing a dishrag from nowhere and using it to clean up the counters. I gave a hopeless look towards Thŷella. Her fingers dug into the wood of the mop handle, but her gaze appeared as helpless as my own. I would get no help from her. Not yet at least.

"Palírroia, look at me."

"Need to clean, need to—"

"Palírroia, as your master, I command you to look at me."

Her shoulders tensed as she froze on the spot. A familiar tremble passed through her body. Ever so slowly, she turned, her head bowed and her hands fidgeted with the dishrag, twisting it to the point of near ripping. Though it took a few minutes, her eyes finally looked up through her dark bangs and met my own.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Master," she said, almost too quickly. "I am just cleaning, as I should. It is within my duties to clean."

"Palírroia," I said with as much urgency as I could muster, "please tell me what's wrong."

The rag in her hands tore at the seams under her nervous grip. Her trembling increased, though she strived to retain her calm demeanor.

"It is just… I must repent for displeasing Mistress Annabeth. She is angry with me, so I must—"

"Did she say something to you after you left?" Panic crept into my voice.

She shook her head. "No. But it is evident that I am to be punished. I must be."

"Why?"

Her voice cracked, never quite fixing regardless of how long she spoke. "Because I have wronged. It was not within my right to pleasure you without your permission. I just… I wanted to show you my appreciation."

Though her words carried no lie in them, I knew there was more to this. I may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but I can tell when someone is going through a crisis. This wasn't just a matter of being denied sex or being glared at. She was raised to please someone else. That is all she's ever known. Now here she is, with a master who treats her well (at least, I would like to think I do), and she wants to use her training to its fullest extent; such to the point that she was near ecstatic to simply have my dick in her mouth. She wants to indulge in the pleasures of pleasing another, and does so with gusto. Yet she's being punished for simply acting on what she's known her entire life. No wonder she was broken; her entire world was just turned on its head.

"Palírroia, I want you to hear these words very carefully. You have done _nothing_ wrong."

"But, Mistress Anna—"

"You've done nothing wrong," I said earnestly.

"I… I just wanted…"

I opened my arms towards her. Not even a second passed before she crashed into me, her head slamming into my chest and her arms wrapping around my torso. I in turn did the same.

"I wanted to please you so badly!" she sobbed. "I was so worked up from yesterday that I just couldn't help myself!"

Her tears soaked through my shirt and streamed down my torso. She shook her head vigorously against my sternum in a vain effort to calm herself. My back stung as her fingers gripped at my shirt, driving her nails through the fabric and into my skin.

"This morning, it stood so proudly. It looked too good for me to resist! I wanted it so badly!"

I soothed her sobs, gently running my fingers over her ear and through her hair. Internally, I couldn't help but curse myself. It was my fault that she was on edge.

_If only I delivered on my promise last night…_

"Shhh," I cooed. "It's okay. You don't have to be afraid. She won't hurt you. I won't let her."

"I'm sorry, Master, if I made her angry with you."

My shoulders sagged. "That wasn't your fault. There's a lot more going on with that than her finding us together."

I stroked her back as I pressed a kiss to the top of her forehead, just below her hairline.

"But I made it worse."

My hands tightened into fists. "You did no such thing! It was my fault for not giving you any relief last night!"

She shrunk away from my increased volume, but kept her body firmly pressed against mine.

"If anything," I said, "it's my fault for not giving you the relief you needed. Can you forgive me for that?"

Her face turned up to mine, pale. "Master, there is nothing to forgive."

"Well, then perhaps I could at least show my appreciation towards you for once."

Though she turned away, I could see her cheek flush. "Um, but you have other responsibilities."

"I do. But that doesn't mean I can't make time for someone else."

A loud thud pulled my attention away and towards Thŷella, who closed a cupboard a bit too clumsily. Palírroia followed my lead and turned towards her fellow nymph; her fingers tightening around my back as she did.

"Um," she whispered, "would you be against an additional partner?"

I straightened out, taken aback by her request. "Are you sure? I mean, isn't that a bit cruel for me to just go and take both of you?"

For the first time in hours, she let out a smile. "We nymphs are very social. And Thŷella and I are very… familiar with each other. I promise, there is no cruelty."

A plan began formulating in my head (shocker, I know). "Okay. If you really want to."

She beamed up at me before slipping from my grip. A quick stride across the kitchen later and she was whispering into the ear of the silver haired nymph. Her plum colored face turned two shades darker as Palírroia whispered to her, though she hastily nodded a response.

The two oceanids stepped before me; one with a giddy grin, the other with a nervous smile.

"Mas… um… Master," Thŷella mumbled, "would you permit me to accompany you?"

"Of course. In fact, lead the way. Go anywhere you feel comfortable. I'll follow you."

* * *

Thŷella stumbled down the hall, Palírroia and I in tow.

"Are you sure this is okay?" I whispered. "It feels like I'm taking advantage of you."

Palírroia paced down the hall in silence for a few more steps. "There is actually a bit of a request… if you would like to hear it." Her head turned towards me, though her hands continued fidgeting with the dishrag.

"Okay, I'm all ears."

"It could help all of us, but… it is a bit selfish."

"Come on, you can tell me."

"Um, right. Well, you see…" Her voice remained hushed, evidently not wanting to draw the attention of the nymph before us. "Thŷella is a very timid nymph. She was a favorite of the trainers because of her unique heritage."

"Heritage?" I matched her hushed tone.

"She is the daughter of Thaumas and the nebula Cumulus. An odd mixing of both the sea and the sky during a storm brought them together. Thŷella is the result."

"I didn't know nymphs could mix like that."

"It was unprecedented. But because of his infidelity, Thaumas's wife, Electra, forced him to sell his daughter. That's where we met."

"Okay… While I now have an urge to punch another god in the face, I don't see how this is relevant."

"Oh, yes. Sorry, Master. I did not mean to ramble."

"It's alright. So where is this point going?"

"Thŷella is accustomed to being taken advantage of. She will submit faster than any other nymph because of it. But… if you were to show her that you care for her pleasure…"

"Yes?"

"Well… she will undoubtedly become one of you most enthusiastic lovers. She has lost so much of herself because of the training. If you were to show her that you care for her pleasure, rather than just your own…"

"I see where you're going with that. But again, doesn't it seem cruel to exploit her like that?"

"To help her remember who she was? Is that really so cruel? Please, Master. I will face any punishment, should this fail. I just want to have my friend back…"

"So that's what this is about… Okay, I'll do it. These pants aren't coming off."

She beamed at me. "Thank you, Master!" she whispered.

"But you're getting my attention first. Maybe we can get her a little hot under the chiton while I give you some relief."

A familiar shade of purple washed across Palírroia's face. "Tha… thank you, Master."

* * *

Thŷella led the two of us upstairs and down a corridor. If my memory served me correctly (because I didn't have much time to explore the second floor commodities), the path led towards a covered balcony.

Upon arriving to our destination, my guess proved correct. A small arrangement of lounge chairs and sofas surrounded a fire pit of black terrazzo. Shadows covered the floor, as the sunlight failed to pierce the thick linen awning. The sound of flowing water pulled my attention towards a small channel running below our feet, visible only through a glass duct. The river flowed out of the wall and cascaded down into a small pool in the gardens, providing a nourishing drink for the plants.

It didn't take much for me to understand the appeal of this place, especially for Thŷella. Here, she could stay in touch with both water and sky. Even if what Palírroia said was true, and she did lose herself, this place told me otherwise.

"I have to say, I'm impressed." I turned towards Thŷella. "You really know how to pick the good spots."

She let out a small blush, but said nothing in return. Rather, she gave Palírroia a curious glance and walked towards one of the sofas. With a wave of her hand, she beckoned me towards her.

"Um. You can take a seat… if you want. Or… maybe I should just strip first, and—"

"That won't be necessary," I replied. "You go ahead and sit down. Be sure to stay ready while I warm up your sister."

I turned towards Palírroia, who returned a hungry gaze. She moved her hands to slip off her chiton, but I stopped her before she could.

"Go ahead and leave it on," I whispered in her ear. "I want to get _under_ this dress."

Her eyes went wide at my words, but she offered a bashful nod in return. She strolled after Thŷella, and took a seat next to her, rubbing her hand along the purple nymph's thigh.

Without wasting another second, I kneeled before Palírroia and gave her a devious smirk as my hands trailed up the back of her calves. She shivered in anticipation, anxiously awaiting the sensations experienced days prior. My hands massaged her legs, squeezing her tender muscles as my gaze continued to unsettle her.

"Well," I said huskily, "tell me what you want. What do you want me to do to you?"

Her eyes glazed over and her lips parted, giving her a near drunk expression. "Please, Master. I want your tongue. I _need_ your touch so badly."

Thŷella watched on in awe as her fellow oceanid submitted before me. She wore a mask of shock and excitement, no doubt yearning to be in Palírroia's position.

My hands rested on Palírroia's knees. "That doesn't sound too convincing. Maybe I should just leave you two alone to tend to each other."

Her eyes shot open and her hands reached for mine. "No! Please! Please don't go! Eat me out! Make me a slave to your touch! I beg you!"

"Mmm, I like it when you beg like that. Well, I shouldn't leave such a request unanswered."

Her knees parted with a gentle push from my hands, spreading her legs before me. Her chiton rode up her thighs, bundling at her waist. In that moment, I learned the nymphs wore nothing beneath their dresses. Palírroia's sopping twat greeted me, leaking briny juices into the sofa.

After running my tongue over my lips, I took a quick glance at Thŷella. Her mouth parted slightly, her silver hair veiled her hooded eyes, but did not obscure the lust in them. _Yes. Let her watch. Let her see what is due to come._

My fingers slid from Palírroia's knees, trailing along her inner thighs at a snail's pace. She groaned out with the gradual pace, relishing every second that passed, obediently waiting for my fingers to reach her core. They never did.

My lips left a soft line of kisses along her skin, trailing fire with every touch. Only when her squirming and panting could no longer be tolerated did I latch my mouth against her nether lips.

"OH! Yes, Master!"

She ran her fingers through her hair as my lips bashed against hers, occasionally nibbling at her pearl of joy. Seconds passed before she pulled down the top half of her chiton, exposing her perky breasts and taking them into her own hands.

I relished in her juicy snatch, finding comfort in her familiar taste; a fine mix of brine and tang, like a salted tangerine on a hot summer day. A deluge of her essence flowed into my mouth, burning my throat in the best ways possible. My teeth skimmed across her sensitive folds before nipping at her delicate nerve bundle.

She screamed out, racing her arms across her body, uncertain of where to give herself any stimulation as her mind overloaded. Only when her eyes opened did she see an opportunity. Without letting a breath pass, she seized Thŷella by the shoulders and pulled the startled nymph onto her lap. Their lips crashed together as Thŷella's chiton drifted up her thighs, presenting me a view of her equally moist lower lips.

In that moment, I took notice of another feature of Thŷella's. No wonder her trainers viewed her as a favorite, her derriere presented such a fantastic view. So round and plump, but hardly a juggle passed through it.

My mouth found a new wetness to enjoy, and used it to further press into Palírroia's streaming folds. She gushed and flowed into my mouth as her screams were muffled by Thŷella's lips. My fingers, tired of remaining idle on her thighs, rubbed along the edge of her labia; parting the folds with one hand, circling her clit with another.

Palírroia bucked in response, driving her fingers into the skin of Thŷella's buttocks and kneading the toned flesh with aggressive swishes. Her legs attempted to wrap around me, but I kept them at bay with my elbows, never allowing her legs to close.

Finally, the moment came… as did she. Her muffled scream was swallowed by Thŷella, who lovingly suckled along her tongue and lips. Her fingers clamped around my skull, driving her nails into my scalp. The quivering of her legs made way, like the earthquake before a tsunami. Speaking of which, her succulent pussy doused my face in her fluids. After hours of being teased and on edge, Palírroia finally lost herself in the orgasm she so desperately needed.

Without wasting a single second, I granted Palírroia to opportunity to rest and recover, and turned my attention to the nymph whose folds now dripped with arousal. Thŷella yelped as my hands wrapped around her ankles, taking their time to trail up her legs. In a mere instant, I learned of a new sensation. Thŷella's skin hummed with light electricity.

Newly aroused by this, my fingers rubbed along her skin, near numb by the time they reached her vulva. I parted her lips with both hands, delighted to see her so clearly turned on by my actions. She turned her head back to see me, her white eyes bright with curiosity and anxiety.

"Relax," I told her. "I promise, I won't hurt you."

She nodded a reply, but the trepidation in her eyes did not sway. With no other choice but to show her the truth in my words, I pressed myself against her dripping cunt. The dull thums of electricity pulsed through my lips, numbing them to how soft her lips were.

Following the tang of Palírroia, the new flavor was a welcome surprise. A pleasant wash of ocean mist mixed with a hurricane gale flushed away the previous taste. Though I would definitely prefer Palírroia's stronger flavor, I can't deny how much I needed to wash it away occasionally.

I moaned into her leaky snatch, eliciting a delectable moan from my new lover. My fingers kneaded her robust backside, each finger massaging the pulsating skin. Within mere moments, my tips of my fingers lost all sensitivity, numbed by the soft electricity flooding her skin.

Thŷella cried out, digging her fingers into Palírroia's hair, as my tongue passed through her entrance. I swirled the pink muscle through her indigo core, stirring around her squelching center like a whisk through brownie batter… blue brownie batter. My nose pressed against her clit, circling it as her musk permeated my nostrils. The scent was intoxicating, as if sea spray were made of lustful alcohol rather than water.

"Master," she panted, "please… let me… pleasure you."

I pulled away, my chin dripping with her fluids.

"Maybe later. For now, it's your turn."

I swiped a finger along her folds, flicking my numb digit across her clit.

She squealed in response, but it seems another was stirred by her request.

"Let him do whatever he wants to you," Palírroia said. "You can pleasure me if you want."

"Getting a little greedy, aren't you?" I asked. My fingers pressed into Thŷella, driving her to muffle her moans in Palírroia's neck.

"Maybe." A playful smile danced across her lips. "But it is because of you I have learned there is more to enjoy than pleasuring another. Perhaps I can be a little greedy."

I returned her smile, twisting my fingers inside of Thŷella's cervix. "Fair enough. Go ahead and lay down, and enjoy the ride."

She registered my words after a few seconds, indicated only by the bashful grin adorning her face.

"Thank you, Master."

She leaned back, resting her head on a small couch pillow. Her legs parted before Thŷella's hands, revealing her crevice still dripping and her thighs caked in sticky juices.

Thŷella molded her body against Palírroia, taking her breasts into her hands and burying her face in the soaked lips of her labia. I followed suit and plunged two fingers into Thŷella's snatch, rubbing the ridges of her insides. My tongue tagged along shortly after, lapping up any juices dripping from her moist cunt.

A chain of pleasured cries rang out. My purrs from Thŷella's taste forced her to moan into Palírroia's slit, which in turn caused Palírroia to scream out, clasping at Thŷella's hands as they squeezed her breasts. Her screams drove me on, perpetuating the endless cycle of lewd sounds.

My fingers explored into Thŷella's pussy, thrusting rapidly and twisting as each knuckle passed into her warm embrace. Each ridge of her insides rippled and sparked, numbing my fingers with the dull thrum of electricity. In a manner of seconds, my tongue followed suit. I groaned in frustration as I lost the ability to taste my newest lover, but she moaned happily with the vibrations that resulted.

"Master, I…" Palírroia groaned out.

Thŷella let out a soft moan, pushing Palírroia over the edge with a deafening cry.

"OHH, YESSS!"

Within seconds, Thŷella's face glistened from chin to forehead with sinful fluids. Despite this, for not even one moment did she halt her actions. Her face remained in Palírroia's folds, massaging the lips with her electric tongue. A dull groan reverberated through Palírroia's throat following her scream, her nerves overloaded by the soft jolts passing through her nerves. Mild jealousy panged within me, stirred on by my senses being dulled, but her's to be hypersensitized.

My jealousy stewed, but manifested itself in a positive way. If Thŷella's moans were anything to go by, slurping at her folds and nibbling her clit rather than using my tongue alone were better sources of pleasure for her. Spurred on by this revelation, my hands grasped her firm buttocks and pulled her closer to me, driving my face deeper into her nether regions. The dull thrum of her body numbed me, rendering me immune from the uncomfortable pressing of my nose into her canal; allowing me to push deeper until her body enveloped all but the bridge of my nose.

"Ma… Ma… st… er…" Thŷella moaned out, punctuated only by her own whimpers.

With a swift change of location, my hand worked its way between her legs, taking her hypersensitive ball of electrified nerves between the numbed pads of my fingers. With a few squeezes and twists, the throbbing pearl between my digits reduced Thŷella to a moaning wreck. For only a few seconds did she hold out; but the moment my other hand familiarized itself with her nipples, she collapsed into Palírroia's spent cunt, screaming out in ecstasy. Palírroia followed suit, her own scream unmuffled and pure, caring not for anyone who judged her, or even heard her.

Minutes passed as I basked in the afterglow of my two lovers. This was my first time being sexually involved with two partners at once (sleeping in the same bed as Piper and Annabeth doesn't count). My body dripped with sweat from my exertion, and my face glistened with Thŷella's succulent essence. Both of the oceanids panted, each as sweaty and exhausted as myself.

"I hope you two enjoyed that as much as I did," I said between labored breaths.

"Yes, Master," they replied in unison.

I began to stand, still woozy from my efforts, but both a purple and light blue hand grasped my wrists before I could leave the couch.

"Please don't go yet," Thŷella said.

"We still long for your touch," Palírroia followed.

I allowed them to drag me into their embrace. Palírroia pulled me against her, allowing my body to rest on hers. Thŷella, in turn, rested along me, taking my arm and maneuvering it so that my fingers brushed her still dripping pussy lips. I sighed in comfort as my head rested against the bust of one nymph and my arm was warmed by the legs of another. For a few moments, my thoughts went blank, allowing me to relax in the small pile of bodies nestled together on the couch.

Small fluttering kisses graced my arm, paving a small path to my neck and eventually my ear. I turned to Thŷella. For once, she did not carry a face of timidity. Now she smiled at me with a slightly bowed head, her blank eyes offering no clue as to where she was looking, not that I needed one. I returned her smile and kissed her forehead, to which she closed her eyes and moaned her contentedness.

"Thank you, Master," she whispered.

The kiss she returned drove me wild. A small eskimo kiss, brushing her nose against mine; only to be followed by her taking my bottom lip in her mouth and suck on it. It was a bold move for sure, but I enjoyed watching her take some initiative when only a short time prior, she was afraid to even look me in the eyes.

"Glad to see you aren't as skittish as before."

Thŷella offered a light smile in response. "Why should I be? I was scared of you at first."

"I told you he was a good master," Palírroia cut in.

"I know. But this isn't the first time you have told me such things about an overseer."

Palírroia paled. "That… was one time. He had us all fooled."

"True." Thŷella turned to me. "Hopefully this is not the case with our new master."

A lopsided grin spread on my face. "I certainly won't try to be."

With that, I kissed both of the nymphs on the forehead and allowed myself to remain cushioned between their warm bodies. For a few minutes, I relaxed with them, listening to their slowed breathing. Though I didn't want to leave, I was needed elsewhere.

"You girls go ahead and relax for a little while. When you're all good to go, take care of whatever you need for the day. I've got some other things I need to take care of."

"Yes, Master," they replied.

"And Palírroia, don't beat yourself up about earlier today. That wasn't on you."

The smile briefly left her face, but crept back with brightened eyes. She nodded.

"Of course, Master. Thank you for your kindness."

I gave her one last peck on the lips before extracting myself from their bodies. Thŷella took a few moments to let me go, but reluctantly released me from her grip. With a final kiss on her forehead, took my leave of the room to find a certain daughter of Aphrodite.

* * *

In all honesty, I shouldn't be surprised with where I found Silena. Resting alongside her once again unconscious sister, the former head counselor sat, rubbing the top of Piper's head, carefully avoiding the area around her left ear. She failed to notice my approach, her attention focused on the younger sister who nearly lost her life for her sake.

I cleared my throat, successfully pulling Silena's attention towards myself. A sympathetic smile crossed my face.

"You know," Silena said, "I'm glad she took over as head counselor. Even if only for a little bit."

"I'm sure she did a great job, if my knowledge is anything to by."

Her soft smile diminished. "Yeah. Drew was always a difficult one to work with. All about appearances, never about love."

"Well, I don't think you'll have to worry about her anymore."

She locked her eyes with me, panicked. "What did you do with her?"

I shrugged. "Absolutely nothing. That's my point. She wants the attention, so I'm simply denying her that. She'll have to clean up her act before she gets any sort of relief."

A relieved breath passed through Silena. "Thank you. I don't want her to get hurt. Enough people have been hurt because of me."

"Hey, hey. That was all on her. No one made her attack you and Piper."

"Right… Well, either way, are we heading out?"

A smile crept onto my face. "Yeah. I think there's someone who's been wanting to see you."

* * *

_Silena! Girl, you're alive!_

"Is that… Blackjack?"

My pegasus blasted his thoughts into my mind as his silhouette cast a shadow above us. Within seconds, he landed, scattering the shoreline sands on both Silena and myself.

"That was rude, man."

_Sorry, Boss. Silena, welcome back!_

Blackjack nuzzled the laughing daughter of Aphrodite, who graciously took hold of his mane and rubbed his muzzle. He bowed his head, urging Silena to climb on, which didn't take her very long. I watched on with a slight smile on my face as Blackjack somersaulted through the air, flipping and twirling and Silena laughed hysterically, whooping and hollering as the wind whipped through her hair. Let me tell you, roller coasters have nothing on pegasi.

After about ten minutes, Blackjack relanded and allowed me to climb on as well. Though I hate to admit it, I was a little envious of how well Silena got along with the pegasi. They respected me out of who I am and what I've done. Silena earned their trust and friendship by simply being their friends.

As I saddled up, Silena leaned back, resting her head against my chest. Even though I might be jealous of her, there's no way I could hold that against her. Times like this proved it was simply in her nature to be outwardly friendly and loving. Sure she was a massive flirt, but there was nothing inherently wrong with that.

_So, where to, Boss?_

I sighed inwardly, hoping this would be the last shopping trip for a while. "Mall of America. Time to go on a shopping spree."


	27. Shopping Spree

Shopping Spree

Blackjack flew for what seemed to be only minutes before landing on the asphalt of the Mall of America's parking lot. Even from the exterior, I felt insignificant, as if I were standing before the Olympus of malls. Silena shivered with giddiness, her smile shining brightly for anyone within a two mile radius to see.

After a goodbye pat from Silena, Blackjack took off, lazily flying through clouds in his return trip. Trust me, even though those clouds look really soft, flying through them is an absolute nightmare. All humid and muggy. I'll stick with the nebulae. Unlike their cloud life forces, they actually have a soft touch (don't ask me about how I know that… okay maybe Fleecy got a bit physical when I met Iris).

I turned to Silena. "Are you ready for this?"

She pressed her hands to her hips. "Are you?"

"Probably not."

With a laugh, we both made our way inside of the oversized shopping complex.

Remember my trip to the Manhattan Mall? Yeah, go ahead and throw that trip out the window, at least in terms of scale. We New Yorkers are very efficient with our purchases. We know what we want and where to get it. That wasn't the case with the Mall of America. Massive stores filled out the three story whitewashed shopping complex (or four depending on where in the store you are). Go ahead and think of a store. I guarantee you, you will find it here along with its rival. If nothing else, consider this; I have yet to see a mall so large that it actually fits an amusement park inside of it… at least until I walked inside.

I was half tempted to become a kid again and jump on a few rides, but one look from Silena and I knew there were other plans.

"So," I said, "where to first?"

"Well…"

Remind me to throw a few burgers on the fire for Hermes. If not for him, I don't know how I possibly would have survived the ordeal of shopping with Silena. She took this seriously, treating shopping like an art form. I have to admit, she was good; often managing to lower prices and work the details of certain items from people who shouldn't even know the information.

Stores flew by in a never ending haze. Be it Aéropostale, American Eagle, Hollister, Old Navy, or Abercrombie Fitch (don't even ask me about the trip to Spencer's); the never ending cycle of stores glazed by, most of the time allowing me to lose all memory of what we even purchased. Clothes, accessories, jewelry, and even certain appliances tagged along in our ever expanding shopping cart.

Of course, I felt no issues purchasing leather jackets for Thalia or new sets of silvery camo pants for Zoë and Bianca. Silena had no issues picking out their sizes, having apparently memorized them after no more than a few seconds of seeing them. However, it was only a matter of time before Silena pulled me into the one shop I didn't want to find myself in.

"No no no no no…" I pulled back, against the unbreakable will of Silena.

She returned the might in equal force. No one, not even the saviour of Olympus, would stop her from shopping. But… did she really have to go _here?_

"What is with you guys and buying lingerie?"

"Because we're your concubines. We have to suffer through your bed, so you can suffer in here. Besides, I prefer Soma to Victoria's Secret. Adds a little bit of an innocent charm to everything."

I looked down, trying my best not to make eye contact with any uncomfortable boyfriends dragged in the store against their will.

"No one's said they've suffered so far…"

She leaned forward and grabbed my hand, offering me a sly smile. "I know, but just indulge me for a little while. I want to get something you'll like."

Following her words, I allowed her to turn me into a drooling guinea pig. Much like Calypso, she flirtatiously tried on several outfits.

"Percy!" she called from the dressing room. "Could you help me with this one?"

_Oh, no…_

"You aren't going to try anything, are you?"

A few seconds passed.

"That's up to you."

With a labored sigh and my hand already shielding my eyes, I entered the dressing room.

"What did you need help with?"

Silena evidently took notice of my averted eyes.

"Smooth, Percy. Smooth. The back of this is supposed to be tied together, but I can't reach it too well. Could you lend me a hand?"

"Wait, but that means I have to-"

"Yes, you have to see me in another set of lingerie. Big whoop. It's not like it's a wedding dress. Besides, it lets me know if you like it."

I cursed under my breath as I pulled my hand away. Before me stood a glorious sight.

To keep the description short, a lacy black bra with matching tanga panties hugged her perfect figure. A dark blue garter held up a sheer pair of matching stockings with black heels dressing her feet. The dark colors contrasted nicely with her fair skin, and the choice of apparel accentuated her hourglass figure.

It took a while, but I eventually managed to pull myself from my stupor, and assisted Silena with her little issue. Two thick, lacy ribbons hung loosely from her back straps, trailing down her smooth back.

"Could you help me… Master?"

I snapped my attention to her eyes as she gazed at me with an innocent pout. That was my first mistake. My second mistake revealed itself when I took the ribbons in my hands to tie them together. Silena pressed herself backwards, stepping closer to me until she pinned me to the wall with nothing but her back.

Her little pout never faltered. She turned to me, dropping her bra to the floor. Before I could allow myself to be mesmerized by her mammaries, she molded her body against me, pressing her buxom breasts against my chest. Her lips pulled at mine, opening my mouth up for a tender kiss.

"I'll be a good girl, Master." She moaned into the kiss as she rubbed her nipples against my chest. "You can punish me for being a bad girl later. But right now, I want to _feel_ you make love to me."

Her dainty fingers pulled at my shirt as she nibbled my earlobe.

"And then you can dominate me for being a bad girl. Punish me. Do whatever you want."

She kissed my jaw before attempting to slide down my torso. As she neared my waist, I grabbed her wrists and hauled her back up.

"We can't do this. Not here."

Her pout returned. "But it's 'fitting' for us to do it in here."

"Really? Puns? Listen, if we go any further, we'll get kicked out of the mall, if not worse, for the things I want to do to you. Frankly, I've had enough encounters with law enforcement. Please, anywhere else; but not here."

She moistened her lips as she pondered my words. Coming to the agreement that I might have a point, she gave a depressed sigh as she reached for her bra.

"I still want to get frisky before we leave. But for now, could you at least help me with this?"

After trying on the bra and successfully giving my brain a meltdown, she redressed and pulled me towards a set of small strips of black fabric. For a few moments, I couldn't understand what they were, since reading the labels was out of the picture. Only when Silena picked up a few did I realize what they were.

"That's an awful lot of thongs, don't you think?"

She smirked. "Not just any thongs; g-strings. With all of the leather pants Thalia wears, not to mention the skinny jeans and yoga pants the other girls have, do you honestly think they all just wear regular panties? You have a lot to learn, Percy."

With that image successfully seared into my brain, she hauled us to the counter to make our purchase. The cashier attempted to flirt with me, but one "sweet" look from Silena ended her efforts quickly.

After the endeavors of shopping for apparel and accessories, the time came for necessities and appliances. Electronics were mostly out of the question. Computers, laptops, cell phones, even I-Pods; nothing worked around us demigods. However, televisions were fair game, since we really didn't interact with them much to watch movies or shows. The same could be said for stereos, washers, and dryers. To say we loaded up a bit would be an understatement (thank you Hazel).

With the enormous amount we purchased, Hermes called me and made me agree to purchasing from his catalog to help him break even for transportation expenses. Looks like Calypso will be getting an enchanted loom after all.

Even though Hermes took care of holding and transporting every purchase (hopefully without snooping through the contents, God of Thieves and all), my arms still drooped from the imaginary weight of carrying bags. Silena looked on and laughed.

"Does someone need a break?"

"Please?"

She placed her finger to her lips. "Well, since you asked so nicely…"

She led me to a shallow terraced fountain, each tier no greater than six inches in height. Still, I halted at the sight of it. My wary gaze did not go unnoticed by Silena.

"Something wrong?"

"Last time I was near a fountain, Calypso decided to push me into it."

She laughed. "I promise I won't push you into it… However…"

My gaze snapped towards her.

"... after hearing some late gossip about you and Annabeth, I might just pull you in with me to score an underwater kiss for myself."

My cheeks burned at the remark. Even after being dead, Silena never failed to get the juicy details of someone's love life. Fortunately, she was never malicious with the information (at least not with me). But that doesn't mean she won't use the information to her advantage.

We sat down along the edge of the fountain. Silena flicked a few beads of water at me with a small giggle. I returned the action by soaking her hair.

"Percy, come on! That wasn't even close to fair!"

She took hold of her hair and wrung out some of the water. After a few minutes of watching her struggle, I simply pulled the water out and sent it dripping back into the fountain. The stare that followed both unnerved and amused me.

"You just wanted me to suffer."

I shrugged. "What can I say, you look really hot when you're wet."

After a few moments, I registered my own words.

"Wait, I didn't mean-"

"Oh, I'm sure you didn't," she said in a sultry voice. "But why don't we put that theory to the test."

My brain malfunctioned as she pressed her lips to mine, successfully turning me into a vegetable as she kissed me. What pissed me off the most was her eagerness. Not because of how much she seemed to enjoy kissing me, but because I couldn't seem to kiss her back. Her soft lips grabbed at mine, but they failed to cause any reaction.

_Come on, you idiot! Kiss her back!_

The moment passed. The opportunity vanished. She pulled away with a slight pout on her lips.

"What happened? You were so receptive earlier."

"I… I don't know… I just lost all ability to think, much less move."

"Awww," she cooed, "did I cause that?"

"Maybe."

She moved forward and leaned close to my ear.

"Then I guess we'll have to expose you to more by the end of the day. We can't have my lover boy go static on me whenever I kiss him. That would be woefully lonely."

If her laugh was anything to go by, my expression must have been priceless.

"Tell you what. Since you've been such a good chaperone, why don't we go see a movie. They have a theatre right here in the mall."

I narrowed my eyes. "Something tells me this isn't just for me."

A mischievous glint shone in her eyes. "Maybe not, but _someone_ needs to learn how to kiss me properly. What better way than with a nice movie to play in the background?"

My cheeks flared once again at her words. Our playful banters went back and forth, almost like we were competing to see who would come out on top and leave the other a steaming mess of flushed skin.

After what seemed like hours of back and forth jabs and teasing, the shopping spree finally came to an end. A weight, near paralleled by Atlas's burden, lifted from my shoulders. For the time being, clothes weren't an issue for anyone. Entertainment would be as stocked as the fridges on the island.

"So," Silena said, twirling her hair in her fingers, "have you considered my offer?"

With a deadly level of willpower, I maintained my composure. I'd like to think I did a good job.

"Um, yeah… sure. I think I can spare some time. If you want to…"

_Just go jump off a bridge, Percy. You handled that with the grace of a wet cat._

Her coy smile didn't help my nerves settle. Quite the opposite in fact. She pawed my hand before latching onto my wrist. For the next few minutes, she hauled me along, dragging me towards an unknown (but stupidly obvious) destination.

Upon our arrival to the CMX, the ticket seller looked at us in bewildered amusement.

"Hi," Silena said. "Any chance that there are any open theaters?"

A knowing smile passed through the lips of the seller.

"Well, right now, most people are watching Captain America. Might I recommend Friends With Benefits? Not a single ticket sold for the next showing."

"When does it start?"

The seller grinned. "In fifteen minutes."

Silena returned the grin, resulting in a heavy gulp on my part. "That will be perfect."

True to her word, the theater room appeared as vacant as Dionysus's liquor cabinet at camp. Several rows of seats lined up in a terraced grid allowed for easy access with plenty of walking space. Despite having prime real estate in the very middle, Silena dragged me to the very back. Something tells me she had other plans for how we spent our time. Just a guess.

I sat back with my hands clinging to the armrest. No snacks. No drinks. No idea about what Silena was planning. Needless to say, the sweat on my forehead wasn't from poor air conditioning.

Silena sat next to me, completely at ease with the situation. I couldn't really tell you too much about the movie when it started. Something about having a pretty girl trace circles on your arm with her finger tends to be quite distracting. This was amplified when she leaned her head against my shoulder.

Her gentle black locks tickled my cheek, making the movie experience all the more difficult. For a grueling half hour, this unending cycle of distraction continued. _Arm rubbing and cheek tickling; why end it there?_

As if reading my mind, Silena not so subtly pushed up my armrest and leaned against me, pressing her full body against my arm. With my arm caught in the soft grasp of Silena's embrace, any attention I might have paid to the movie went out the window.

Following a few moments of silence, Silena hummed lightly to herself. The gentle vibrations washed over my shoulder, sending a warm shiver up my spine. My endeavors to focus were lost, gone without a trace. With the hope of watching the movie long forgotten, I turned my attention to the source of my distractions, and found a pair of sapphire blue eyes already staring back.

"Do you realize how distracting you are?"

Silena placed her hand to her mouth following a sharp inhale of mock disbelief. "_What?_ Me distracting? I would never."

Her smile turned coy. A single gulp down my throat later and a set of fingers twirled through my hair and brushed along my ear. _Is it just a daughter of Aphrodite thing to play with hair?_

"Why don't we see how _distracting_ I can be?"

As her words reached my ears, things took a turn for the more interesting. She climbed onto my lap and, taking my hair in hand, pulled me into a deep kiss. The familiar position kickstarted my reaction. After all, her… sister (because that's not weird to think about) kissed me in an almost identical fashion. Unlike Piper though, Silena refused to use her tongue, opting to use her teeth to drag out my lips, or place small pecks along the sides of my mouth or the tip of my nose.

She would relent the moment my tongue pressed against her lips, but did not mingle using her own tongue. Rather, she would nibble at the tip of the pink muscle and suck on it with a half lidded expression. The perplexing blend of pain and pleasure of having my tongue pulled forced a groan from me. Not once did I pull away. Not once did I want her to stop. Quite the opposite.

My hands found their place on her cheeks, caressing her gorgeous heart shaped face. My fingers brushed their calloused pads against her soft skin, urging her to take her actions further. She understood without question.

Silena pulled away, sucking fervently on my bottom lip. Her hooded eyes veiled the lust within, but my gaze pierced right through it.

"Slap me."

I pulled away. "_What_!?"

"I want you to slap me."

My fingers flexed. A small part of me screamed _Give her what she wants!_ I refused to listen to it.

"Why?"

She pouted. "Percy, I'm a traitor. No matter how you paint it, people died because of me. I need some kind of punishment. Slapping me seems like a good starting point."

"Not going to happen."

This time, I pushed forward, demanding a kiss from the girl. Despite her initial gasp, and her desire to feel the sting of my palm, she melted against me, pressing her bosom against my chest and entangling her fingers in the dark mass of my hair.

In an effort to spur her on, I pulled my hands down to her lower back and squeezed her soft figure. She moaned gently, introducing a new source of pleasure for us; her crotch.

With her hand gripping my hair and her lips dancing all over my face, she ground her crotch against mine. Perpetuating our pleasure were my arms. Such pleasure forced them to pull her closer. The increased pressure from the action caused us both to cry out, only for us to be silenced by a mutual kiss.

Her hips gyrated, alternating between drawn out strokes of great pressure and quick thrusts of her pelvis, which often caused her to whimper into my mouth. Wanting more, I moved my hands down, taking hold of her well formed buttocks. Oh, how I yearned to get beneath her jeans and turn her soft cheeks into my personal playground. For the time being, the denim barrier would remain, but that didn't mean every barrier would.

Following a near half hour of breathless kissing and unearthly grinding, Silena pulled away. A line of saliva followed for a few moments before breaking under its own weight. She placed her hands behind her back, grabbing hold of my wrists and positioning my hands along her waist. With her not so subtle request made, my fingers curled along the hem of her shirt. Her smile, a fine mix of evil and bashful, shone brightly as she pulled her hands away, lifting her arms to let me continue.

With all of the silent permission in the world, I lifted my fingers, inching the fabric off of her. My knuckles dragged along the soft skin of her belly. Though I wanted it to last an eternity, within a few seconds, her shirt lay on the floor. In that moment, my mouth watered at the sight before. Silena evidently did not where a bra. How did I not notice earlier? You tell me. I was trying not to stare at these lovely pillows all day.

Of every girl on Galínios, Silena, without a doubt, was the most… endowed. The round bundles remained perky, nearly giving the illusion that they were held up by a bra. Despite the deceptive appearance, her mammaries remained soft.

Unable to restrain myself, I took her heavy breasts into my hands, allowing them to spill through my fingers. I could only wonder how much strain they put on Silena's back. My fingers squeezed the tender flesh, fondling them with great care. Silena cooed at the action, pressing soft kisses to my forehead.

"Go ahead," she said. "You know you want to."

Without wasting a breath, I took one of her breasts into my mouth while squeezing the other. She gasped out with my gusto, and began grinding her hips against mine once again.

I groaned as she moved, to which she cried out from the added vibrations. A feedbacking cycle ensued. I nursed on her breasts, to which she cried out and ground her crotch against mine, to which I moaned into her sensitive flesh, endlessly repeating the process once again.

"Yes, Percy. For the love of Olympus, don't stop."

Her breaths grew shaky. Her forehead beaded with sweat. If my stinging eyes were anything to go by, I was in no better shape. Despite that, I couldn't pull my mouth away from her succulent tits. If anything, the added exhaustion helped me move forward. It seems as though I was too tired to restrain myself.

Silena whimpered as I bit her nipple, sucking lovingly on her teat. I rolled the other between my fingers, sending jolts through the small nub. Her whimpering grew louder as she ground her hips faster while running her hands through my hair.

I suckled on the pink nipple before pulling away. My attention turned to the flesh around it. The pale skin looked too good to resist. My mouth opened, allowing small portions of her bosom to spill into it. I sucked and bit every ounce of flesh, turning Silena's whimpers to full on screams.

She hugged my head, pulling it closer to her as I sucked and bit. Hickeys appeared by the dozen as I finished with her chest. Her grinding increased in speed further, soon becoming a near painful reminder that both of us still had clothes on.

"Yes yes yes yes yes _yessss_!"

Silena let out a high pitched moan as she spasmed against me. Her hips twitched as she reached her climax, forming a none too small wet patch on her jeans. I swallowed her moan with a deep kiss as she hugged me tightly. Our bodies smashed together, making me yearn for my shirt to disappear so I could feel her warm torso with my bare skin.

Her warm breath passed through my mouth, the taste of strawberries lingering on my tongue. For the first time that day, she let her tongue fall into my mouth. I didn't let a second pass before I caressed it with my own and sucked on it in return. She shivered in response, her quick breaths signalling that she was too exhausted to moan.

Following my successful efforts of turning her tongue into my toy, I released her mouth from my oral grip. Her limp form rested against my body, her head buried in my neck.

"Let's just… rest here for a bit." Silena said, her voice dry and hoarse.

Just as I was about to agree, my eyes looked to the massive screen of the theater room. End credits rolled up the screen in an almost mocking fashion. The room grew brighter as the lights glowed, signalling the end of the movie.

"Rest later. Dress now."

With a frustrated groan, Silena stood up and stretched, giving me a mesmerizing view of her chest. _For all the good in the world, why does she need to put her shirt back on?_

As if reading my face, Silena took her breasts in her hands and jiggled them, bringing the bundles of joy unfairly close to my face. A cheeky smile crawled onto her face as she played with her bosom. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. She turned around and picked up her shirt. The massive pillows disappeared from view as the accursed fabric concealed their glory.

After doing a quick check up on the both of us, Silena took my hand and led me out of the room. We passed by one of the ushers, a spray bottle and scrubbing brush already in hand. No doubt the ticket seller told them what seats we ordered… and what she assumed we were doing. I can't say I blamed her.

We left the theater and found a collection of leather massage chairs. As always, they were oversized and borderline silly looking, but neither of us could give a care in the world. I sat upon the leather throne and Silena took her place right next to me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and nuzzled the side of my shoulder.

"That was a great movie," Silena said.

"Yeah," I laughed. "Way too short though."

She moaned in frustration. "I know." Her hand slithered down until it rested above my crotch, which she fondled with great care. "I wanted to play with this. I still do."

Her eyes shifted upwards, pulling my attention away from her sensual massage. "Don't you think for even a second that this is over, Percy. This will be inside of me by the end of the night."

I let out a laugh. "Yes ma'am. And I'm sure we'll both be refreshed after a good meal."

"Mmm, yeah. Katie sure knows how to cook. I'm sure dinner will be delicious. But I'm most looking forward to dessert."

An evil grin passed through her lips, but her eyes remained as innocent as a baby's. With a chuckle, I swiped the grin away by pressing my lips against it. She met my action with an equally passionate kiss of her own, some energy clearly returning from our brief rest.

We remained there for a short while. After a half hour of relaxation, our muscles relaxed a bit and our bodies cooled down. Despite our wish to remain on the massage chair, we lifted ourselves up and took our leave of the mall.

_Yo, boss! You two took a while._

I smiled at Blackjack's statement of the obvious. "Yeah, well it was a long shopping trip. Fortunately, Hermes is taking care of shipping."

_Are you serious? Dang, now I'm glad you didn't turn me into a cargo horse. That's the last thing I need._

With a small chuckle, I led Silena to his flank. I took notice of him sniffing louder as she approached. His nose directed itself towards a none too subtle location.

_Hey, is that-_

"Drop it."

_Right, _he said. His head snapped away and straightened out.

I climbed on after Silena, none too pleased with Blackjack's sudden interest with Silena's smell of arousal. _On one hand, gross. On the other, that smell is for _me _to enjoy… When did I suddenly become so possessive?_

With the thoughts of tonight's future events playing in my head, Blackjack took flight once again. Not a word was spoken as Silena pressed herself against my chest. We made our return trip to Galínios in a comfortable silence.

**A/N - _Finally!_ Another shopping chapter done! No more mall visits for Percy; at least as far as I know. Maybe someone will get their wish one day, and Percy will plow a chick in the dressing rooms. And before you say it, yes, I deliberately made sure they didn't actually have sex in there. For one thing, it's too predictable. For another, I wanted to use a newer type of setting for them. **

**While I've never personally been there, I have put in quite a bit of research towards the Mall of America to make this chapter as accurate as possible. Speaking of which, oh how the timeline has blessed me! Keep in mind that this timeline is officially in late summer of 2011. I actually managed to find the perfect movie for them to go to out of dumb luck. I mean, come on. "Friends With Benefits?" That was _way_ too perfect not to use! See what doing your research can do?**

**Back to the point, the main reason I'm not making them have sex yet is because I have special plans for Silena. It will be a couple of chapters later, but when we get there, I promise something good. I've never read anything quite like what I have planned for this girl. Hehehe.**

**Outside of that, what were your thoughts? I tried to skim over most of the shopping and trying on clothes this time around so it wouldn't seem like a copy and paste of the trip with Calypso. Hope you guys preferred that over me listing off outfits again.**

**I think this has been a very long time coming, but to all new readers, welcome! We've officially passed the two hundred review mark and reached the three hundred favorite mark! I see that some people are starting to voice some differing opinions about the story. As I made clear in my disclaimer, this is a _slow burn_. I openly stated there wouldn't be a sex scene in every chapter. And as far as character changes go... I mean, did you finish reading the more... violent chapters? Of course everyone isn't one hundred percent in character. Not with a higher being toying around with their heads. Stick around long enough, and you'll finally see where all of this builds up to. I promise you when I say I'm trying to break the clichés of the villains. I wanted to use someone new. Of course, we have to reach that point first.**

**So... On the subject of Artemis... I stand by what I said in regards to her not becoming a member of the harem. _However_, I have been swayed into eventually giving her a chapter with Percy. Keep in mind that when she does wind up in Percy's bed, it will be only one time, and it is going to be _way_ down the line from now. Believe it or not, I've already started setting up some of the plots that lead to Percy getting her in bed. Remember when I said Percy's distracted time with Rose would wind up turning into a whole subplot? Yeah, this is what I was referring to. So to those who wanted to see Artemis, congratulations, you've twisted my arm. To those who didn't want her to show up, rejoice in the fact that she will only have one scene with Percy, and I'll be working the build up in a manner I haven't yet seen.**

**On the subject of goddesses... I may or may not end up breaking my own limited list further. After tweaking later events in the plotline, I made myself curious about including a new goddess. Not just any goddess, but an Olympian. And I'm not talking about Artemis, she's already confirmed. You see, the original goddess that was going to sleep with Percy wasn't an Olympian. She was a minor goddess. However, with some new tweaks, I've considered adding this goddess to the harem, and having Percy have a scene or two with one of the Olympians. I've structured it in such a way that it makes sense, but I still want your input. What do you guys think? Should I include another goddess? Should I have the original goddess join the harem rather than it being a one time thing? It'll add on to the story length for sure, but I wanted to run it by you before I made any final decisions. I guess it seems like a lot is going on with the goddesses now. If you guys give me the go ahead, Percy will be sleeping with a total of four goddesses by the end of this story rather than two. I guess I'm not too good at following my own rules if I see potential inclusions open up. Still, let me know what you think.**

**Well, that's all for tonight. Percy is on his way to making Silena scream in ecstasy. As always leave a review, and let me know what you think about the additional goddesses. This is Ronin signing off.**


	28. Acquiesce Some Requests

Acquiesce Some Requests

Silena and I arrived to Galínios with the welcoming chops of waves against the shoreline. Blackjack trotted along the grainy sands upon his landing. Though the afternoon stood quiet, Blackjack decided it would be better to put in his two cents.

_Man, you need to find a better landing spot for me! The nearest patch of grass is like a quarter mile away!_

"Oh, come on. It's not that bad."

_I mean, unless you want me to use your garden as a landing strip…_

"No, no. That's alright. I'll figure something out."

With his request made clear, Blackjack circled around a bit before taking off. His silhouette vanished behind a small cloud and never reemerged.

Silena and I strolled into the villa. For once, things seemed peaceful. Not just quiet. Peaceful. No doubt, tensions were still high, but most issues could be resolved in due time. Silena shared my sentiment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath with a smile on her face.

"I had all but forgotten how good silence can feel when you're alive."

"It's fine in small patches," I said, "but long term silence drives me crazy."

Silena raised her eyebrow. "Oh? Well, it's a good thing tonight will be anything but silent. Stop by my room after dinner. I'll have dessert waiting for you."

With a coy smile, Silena gave me a quick peck on the lips. She spun on her heel and took off down the corridor to her room. For a few moments, I stood there, unsure if I was thinking about the night ahead of us or if I was recovering from the afternoon we just spent together. Deciding to drop the subject entirely, I strolled down the hallway, ready to make some visits.

* * *

Coincidentally enough, my first visit came to me… along with some extra company.

"Hey, Kelp Head… We got a bit of a request."

Thalia, along with the other two Hunters, and Reyna, oddly enough, stood in my path. Though they stood relaxed, their action wasn't unfamiliar. There was no chance of me leaving without giving them an answer.

"Alright. I was on my way to find you guys anyways. What's up?"

Zoë once again resisted the urge to look towards the ceiling.

"Well," Bianca said, "despite the sudden appearance of televisions—"

"Just call them TVs," Thalia interrupted.

"... _TVs_. Anyways, we can't just be expected to sit around all day for the rest of eternity and… well… you know."

"Ugh," Thalia grumbled, "The point is, we have an idea to keep ourselves entertained and in top shape."

"Isn't that the point of the gym and the arena?"

"You know what I mean."

"Okay. What is it?"

Thalia nudged Reyna's arm. Though she refused to look up at me, she still moved forward.

"Um… Thalia said that… you know of a place where we can… import monsters… She said that we could have them delivered to the forest."

I searched my memories for what she was talking about. Though they were buried deep, my thoughts eventually strayed towards an old ranch in Texas.

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that kind of request."

Zoë snorted. "It beats waiting around to grace thy bed. Killing monsters would be a welcome treat."

"Yeah, well… I kind of told Eurytion not to kill off his monsters anymore."

All of their heads fell.

"But…"

Their heads perked back up.

"There might be some other things we could take advantage of. We have plenty of room on the island. Maybe we could set up some kind of games with them."

Thalia raised her eyebrow. "So we go from killing monsters to playing with them?"

I frowned at her statement. "These aren't all just wild monsters though. Most of them have been raised in captivity. Besides, you'd never get a real hunting experience out of it anyways."

"Okay," Bianca said, "what kind of games are we talking about?"

"Psh, I don't know. You just sprung this idea on me after all. Maybe like fire horse chariot racing or shooting small targets attached to the tails of giant scorpions. Stuff like that."

They all pondered for a few seconds.

Zoë nodded. "I see no fault in this. Of course, I would still wish to hunt, but I see thy point."

"Great. So we're all in agreement then?"

They all nodded.

"Fantastic. Since you guys are itching for action so badly, why don't you Hunters come along?"

Zoë and Bianca both nodded, but Thalia turned her attention to Reyna.

"Actually…"

"Um," Reyna said, "I'd like to come along… with your permission."

I stood there, shocked at the revelation. Something tells me Thalia had more in mind than bringing back monsters with this trip.

"Absolutely. I'd love it if you came with us."

"Oh, I'm sure she'd be more than happy to 'come' along."

Both Reyna and I reddened at Thalia's remark. _Leave it to her to make things uncomfortable for us._

"Well, regardless. I take it you all received your clothes?"

"Yep," Thalia said. "Something tells me Silena might have been the one picking stuff out."

"What gives you that impression?"

"Perhaps the rather… libertine inclusions," Zoë said.

_I wonder what she could possibly be referring to…_

"Yeah, that was more Silena's choice. I chose the jackets though."

"Really?" Thalia raised an eyebrow. "I'm impressed."

"No kidding," Bianca said. "How'd you find stuff that fit us so well?"

"Well, Silena told me your sizes. But I chose what I thought you would like."

Bianca shook her head. "And here I thought you were actually good at shopping without help."

Zoë and Thalia snickered. Reyna looked on, rubbing her arms.

"Okay, okay. No need to be rude. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy your clothes. Let's meet tomorrow after breakfast to leave."

With a group nod (though Reyna still looked uncomfortable), everyone took their leave of the hallway. Given that my first meeting was out of the way, I moved on to the next.

* * *

I could hear my second meeting long before I found it. After discovering the empty couch (for which I was incredibly relieved), I searched throughout the house to find Piper. Not too long after, a rowdy argument could be heard from near the spa.

"A VASE?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

"Well, you shouldn't have gotten involved!"

"Oh, so it's _my fault_?!"

_Oh, boy. This is going to be fun…_

I strolled by the open room to discover Piper and Drew in a heated argument. Fortunately, no one was knocked unconscious… yet. Drew stood backed up against a wall as Piper paced back and forth, flailing her arms around as she shouted.

"You almost killed me for trying to help you!"

"Piper," I said.

"First you give Silena a panic attack, then you nearly take my head off!"

"_Piper_."

"All for just trying to calm the situation down!" Piper drove her fist into the wall. In doing so, she learned the hard way that the wall was made of condensed coral with an audible _CRACK_.

I surged forward and took her arms into my hands. Her eyes went wide and her face paled. With a shivering hand, she choked on her own pain. She broke her hand without a doubt. The knuckles were swollen and bruised. Her first two fingers were slightly crooked.

"I… I…" Piper failed to enunciate her thoughts, but her mouth appeared unable to close.

"Crazy bitch," Drew muttered. She peeled herself off the wall and attempted to strut down the corridor.

"Drew, wait."

She turned towards me with a venomous stare. "Yes, _Master?_"

I rubbed Piper's arm as she attempted to hold back her tears. "You _do _deserve a punishment for what you did to Piper."

Her fists balled. "You're _already _punishing me! You're letting the curse take effect!"

I smirked. "Yeah, but that's _my _punishment for you. Piper still owes you some payback."

Her eyes widened. "... Fine… But don't you dare lay a hand on me."

Piper groaned. "If I wanted to hurt you, you'd already be hurting. And I doubt Percy would stop me."

I shrugged. "So long as it stays within reason. Regardless, do you have any ideas for punishment?"

Piper pondered for a moment while clutching her wrist. "Yeah… Your makeup, all of it; I want you to pile it up by the dining room table. Don't try and hide anything either. I've lived with you long enough to know what you have."

Drews fists trembled. "Fine…"

She stormed down the hallway to fetch her items.

I turned to Piper. "Come with me."

She followed me as I walked into the spa. I sat her down in one of the chairs and turned on some water in the sink in front of it. As the water heated up, I searched around for the elixir Palírroia used on me. After a few minutes of searching, I walked up to Piper with the turquoise liquid.

Piper held her hand up with her head slightly bowed. I slathered on the viscous liquid and massaged it into her skin, to which she flinched from the contact. The swelling and bruising reduced by a little bit.

"So," I said, "why exactly do you need Drew's makeup? I didn't think you ever wore any."

Piper guffawed. "I don't. I was going to have a little bonfire tonight."

I shook my head and stifled a laugh. "That ought to get the message across. Somewhat evil, somewhat overboard. I can work with that."

She grinned. "I thought you would like the idea. Still… sorry you saw… you know."

"She had it coming. I'm more worried about you. How's your hand feel?"

"Warm and sore."

"Thought so."

I waved my hand and called a small tendril of water to help. After a few minutes of encircling and washing away at Piper's hand, her fingers aligned properly and the swelling vanished.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't go punching walls from now on, got it?"

She nodded sheepishly. "I know… I was just so angry…"

"Hey," I picked her chin up and brushed a finger along her cheek, "I get it. There's nothing wrong with being angry for what she did. You should've seen me when I saw what happened."

The twinkle in her eyes came back. She kissed the pad of my thumb.

"So, how did your date with my sister go?"

I wrinkled my nose. "Come on, don't make it weird."

She busted out laughing. "It was weird the moment this started. Come on, did you guys have fun shopping?"

I shook my head. "She was an absolute nightmare to shop with. I have a newfound respect for people who can shop like that."

"Yeah, well, we make the best of it. Should I expect to sleep in the same bed as you tonight?"

"Of course." I kissed her forehead. "Just as soon as I finish breaking in your sister."

"Ew, now you're making it weird!"

I chuckled. "Consider it payback."

She pouted. "Fine. Then consider this catching up."

Without skipping a beat, she pulled me onto the chair and into a kiss. The familiar embrace riddled me with warmth. Her soft lips plucked at mine, parting them to allow her tongue a place to play. And play she did.

I remained passive, accommodating her desire to explore my mouth. Her pink muscle dusted my taste buds and tickled the roof of my mouth in her efforts to deepen the kiss. Her fingers trailed along my spine, dancing along and stimulating my nerves. She trapped my waist with her legs, locking her ankles around the small of my back.

"A little aggressive, don't you think?"

"Shut up." She smiled into the kiss. "I've been wanting to do this for the past couple of days."

She trailed her hands upwards, resting them along my neck. My hands, in turn, traveled to her waist and gave her soft sides a squeeze. She squeaked in response, glaring at me with a mousy pout.

"That wasn't nice."

"Maybe." I pulled her tongue into my mouth and sucked on it, forcing a groan from her throat. "But it's still all in good fun."

She pulled away, slightly breathless. Through her panting, she released her grip on me, allowing me to slide off the chair.

"We better end it here. If this goes on, you won't be seeing Silena tonight."

I grinned. "I'll be seeing you both tonight. But you'll get some special attention at a later time."

She faked a pout. "Aww. So I can't just pull you aside in the hallway and have you fuck my brains out?"

I raised an eyebrow. "That's a very jarring statement coming from you."

She shrugged. "We're in a weird situation and I'm trying to make the best of it. Plus, you got me hooked after that night on the beach."

Taking a line from her own book, "Oh, so it's _my fault?_"

Her devious smile was both unnerving and oddly comforting. "Yep. And you'll have to pay for it soon."

"I'll keep that in mind."

With that, I helped her off the chair and we shared a hug between us. After saying our goodbyes, we parted ways. Piper went off to investigate if Drew delivered her makeup, I went to make my next meeting.

* * *

For a few minutes, I walked in silence. The brimming tranquility was a welcome a change following the screaming from the past few days. Not to mention, today was a long day. So it was always nice to have these small moments to reflect.

My reflection time came to an end as I approached the door of my once ex (kind of ex? Were we really ever dating?). I knocked on the door and allowed a brief pause to pass. If the disgruntled mumbling was anything to go by, she was rather busy at the moment.

"Well, well. This is an unexpected visit."

Rachel looked like she just rolled out of bed. Her hair was a mess and her eyes looked bleary. And then there was her choice of apparel.

Now I'm not one to judge, but if you asked me, she looked half naked. On first glance, you could only see an oversized white tee shirt splattered with paint. Most likely a night shirt of some kind. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), her legs were completely bare, giving the impression that she wore nothing beneath her shirt. That pleasant image went out the window the moment her thin shirt revealed a pair of hot pants that barely reached her thighs.

"Hey." Rachel snapped her fingers in front of my face. "My eyes are up here, Water Boy."

I snapped my gaze back up with a blush on my face.

"Sorry."

She shook her head with a slight smile on her face.

"Boys. Show even a slight bit of skin and they drool over it. Would you like to see my shoulders?"

I laughed at the long running joke. Though I thought it was long since dead, Rachel never was one to take advantage of outdated references. Her humor was like her choice in music, bizarre and varied.

"So, what brings you to my humble abode?"

"Just checking up on you. Aside from dinner last night, I haven't exactly seen you around."

She put her hands to her hips, which may or may not have drawn my attention to her creamy thighs. Thin but toned, with a fair gap between them. No doubt, posing for hours on end in live art exhibits did wonders for her figure.

"Well, I did tell you that I have my own projects. I've been busy."

"Yeah, but for three days?"

She frowned. "What are you talking about, it's only been…"

My expression must have told her more than I realized.

"Are you serious!? Jeez, no wonder I'm exhausted."

"You look it, that's for sure."

"Gee, thanks."

"Hey, I said you look tired, not hideous. Besides, you've always pulled off the unruly look."

"Aww, so the crust in my eyes makes me look pretty?"

"Well, you are regardless. Since when did you care?"

"Pfft, I don't. But it's nice to be recognized every once in a while."

"I'll be sure to remember that." I craned my neck to look into her room. "So what exactly are you working on? Mind if I take a look?"

"_No!_"

Her arms and legs shot out, forming a chi over the doorway. The sudden action revealed one small detail about her clothing, or lack there of. The slight jiggle under her shirt suddenly made it difficult to swallow.

"It's not ready!"

I threw up my hands in surrender, but my eyes none too subtly kept darting back to her chest.

"Okay, okay. Don't kill me for asking."

She took notice of my alternative interest. With a slight smirk, she dropped her arms and held them to her diaphragm, pushing out her chest a bit as she did.

"See some other artworks you like?"

I rattled my head at her words, making sure I didn't mishear her.

"Huh?"

A devilish grin crawled onto her face at my sudden nervousness. She strutted a step forward twirling her messy hair with one finger while propping her bust up with her other arm.

"First it's my legs. Now you can't stop looking at my chest. Someone needs a lesson in self control."

"What are you talking about? I have plenty of self control!"

A skeptical smirk crossed her lips. "So says the one who's about to add number seven to their body count tonight. Eight, if you include going down on that one nymph."

My cheeks burned. "How did you-"

"Oracle, remember?"

"Right. Well, then you should know that I don't push for this stuff to happen. It just does."

"My point exactly. You adapt to every situation and just go with the flow. As would be expected of a son of Poseidon."

"What's so bad about that?"

"Nothing's _bad_ about it, but it would help you keep everyone in line if it didn't 'just happen' whenever you get it on with someone."

I pursed my lips. "Okay, then what would you recommend?"

"Honestly? Two things. First, keep in mind that Silena will likely be expecting some sort of punishment. She pretty much needs to have it happen or she won't be able to move on."

"Wait, how did-"

"Oracle."

"Okay, fine. But she doesn't deserve-"

"I'm not saying to smack her or anything. Be creative. With your powers, I'm surprised I haven't heard stories about you going full hentai on the others."

I gulped at the idea. "I'm not about to tentacle rape someone."

"Hey, just saying. Some of them might be more tempting to do it to."

With the clear reference to Drew, I couldn't help but actually consider the idea.

"Besides, there are other things you can do besides make a bunch of watery dildoes."

_Talk about a pleasant image._

"Okay, fine. I'll think about it. What was the second thing?"

Her devious grin returned. "That's simple. Maybe a lesson with me will fix your impulse control."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "That was about as subtle as a shark attack."

She shrugged. "A girl can try. Besides, the way you've been looking at me, something tells me you aren't exactly against the idea."

"I never was. Besides, it would be a long time coming."

"Aww, did someone want more than a kiss on the cliffside? Did I blueball you before your big secret mission?"

"Just a little bit. That reminds me, with school starting up, aren't you going to run into some issues with being here? Not to mention your family."

Rachel's expression darkened. "That's a topic for another day. In the meantime, I have some work to do before dinner."

"Oh… okay. I'm sorry if I-"

Rachel cut me off by grabbing ahold of my shirt and dragging me into a kiss. Her tongue quickly slipped between my lips and toyed with the tip of mine.

Unable to resist, my hands trailed down and took hold of her bubbly buttocks. The bottom of the cheek peeked out beneath the denim shorts.

Rachel groaned, but pulled away while sucking on my lip. With an audible smack from releasing our mouths, she leaned back and crossed her arms. Her eyebrow raised.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about. You didn't even wait for five seconds and you're already groping me."

"Hey! You started-"

"I'm just teasing you, Percy. Don't take it too personally. We'll just have to… work on it some other time."

She turned around and sauntered through her door. As she did, she flicked up the bottom of her shirt, flashing her rear for all to see. The bottom of her creamy white cheeks poked out from under her shorts. A nice jiggle resulted from her exaggerated steps.

"See you at dinner," she said with a wink.

And just like that, the door closed, cutting me off from my fiery redheaded ex girlfriend… sort of ex… _You try explaining what we were! I never really asked her out, but we spent more time together than Annabeth and I did at the time… Plus we did other things… Not those things, but close._

I sighed as my meetings finally came to a close. Sure, there were other girls to talk to, but after all of the activity from the day, I needed a drink. Ready to satisfy my thirst, I made my way over to the kitchen.

As I walked down, my thoughts settled on Rachel's words. Silena would want to be punished, just like at the movie theater. But I couldn't bring myself to hurting her. Never. I let my creative (or what I consider creative) mind stroll along and come up with any ideas for Silena when the night came along.

* * *

**A/N - Oh, the setup chapters. I know how much you guys just _love_ these chapters. Too be fair, this one chapter set up about ten, if not more.**

**So, it seems like most are more or less on board with the goddesses subject. Can't say it surprises me. It just means more smut for you to indulge in. And as for who the minor goddess is... Let's just say I doubt she'll be one to come to mind when you think of the minor characters. If you leave enough longer reviews, maybe I'll let slip as to who she is ahead of time (through PMs of course). Yes, I am blackmailing you for reviews. Hahaha!**

**Well, what are your thoughts on the chapter? Reyna and Percy are _finally_ going to have some screen time together. Plus, Piper is back from her mini concussion. Unrealistic? Maybe. But she did survive falling dozens of feet, through the roof of a warehouse, and onto a metal catwalk with just a broken ankle. Let's face it, that girl is tough. And then Rachel. Ooohhh, I know she's a character many have been wanting to see. Let's just see how our little fiery redheaded oracle has been doing these past few days... and then some.**

**Overall, not too much happened this time around, but that will change soon. Gotta have these slower chapters every once in a while, otherwise people won't be able to keep up (I know for a fact Percy wouldn't be able to).**

**That brings an end to yet another chapter. Let's see if you can satisfy _my_ thirst with some refreshing reviews. Hehe, see what I did there? "Go home, Ronin. Leave the funny stuff to the professionals." Aww... Okay. This is Ronin signing off.**


	29. Well, That was a Lovely Dinner

Well, That was a Lovely Dinner

If only I knew ahead of time that my thirst would turn to hunger. Desperate for a drink, my image blurred to any onlookers who may have seen me rush to the kitchen. Delectable aromas filled my nose during my approach. _Why must my kitchen always smell so good when it's time to eat?_

Attempting to blur my nose from the fragrance, I arrived to the room of interest to discover both Katie and Calypso hard at work. Perhaps the most interesting bit about their choice of meal was the spitroasted chunk of meat being rotated over a simmering fire. Embedded into the fireplace (because this kitchen includes everything), a smokeless flame eternally burned. If the smell was anything to go off of, they were cooking… _is that lamb meat?_

"Hey, Percy. What brings you to our humble domain?"

I turned to Katie, who was giving herself a serious workout by rotating the meat.

"Well, now it's the smell and the company. But originally, I came to get a drink."

"Aww. Is someone thirsty? You wouldn't be the only one."

I snickered as I made my way to the fridge. "Subtle."

"I think it's been well established, I don't _do_ subtle."

"Trust me, Katie," Calypso interjected, "if you start doing subtle, he'll never pick up on it."

"Hey!"

Both girls laughed at my expense, but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

"So what's that you've got cooking there?" I took a long sip from the glass. The ice cold water burned nicely at my throat.

_Hmm… Ice cold… That gives me an idea._

Katie turned to Calypso. "Well, _someone_ got me into cooking more Greek style meals. So for now, we're making gyros."

I pulled the glass away from my lips. "Can't say I've had those anytime recently. Don't forget about Piper though."

"I know, I know. Our supplementary dish is spanakopita."

"Spinach pie," I translated. "Well, that's different. And for dessert?"

Katie smirked. "Well, for _us_, we're making baklava. However, you're already getting your dessert in the form of Silena."

"Aww, come on! Don't be mean. And how'd you know about that?"

A knowing twinkle sparked in Calypso's eye. "Because we _know you_. And if you want a piece so badly"— she turned to a filled cookie sheet a plopped a piece of pastry halfway into her mouth— "then come and get it."

Despite my better judgement not to fall for Calypso's wiles, I surged forward and sank my teeth into the flaky filo pastry, simultaneously taking Calypso's lips for my own. We both let out soft moans as we kissed and chewed, unsure if our enjoyment was from the dessert or the action.

My hands worked their way around her waist, taking note of a very familiar low cut dress.

"I see you've acquainted yourself with your new loom."

"Indeed. Thanks to you, I assume." She winked.

"Well, you needed one, so—"

My words stuck in my throat as Calypso silenced me with her lips.

I pulled away to see Katie pulling at the collar of her blouse, clearly a little heated from watching us.

"So, what did you think?" Calypso asked.

I returned my gaze to her and smiled. "Delicious. There's just one problem."

Both Katie and Calypso frowned as I searched the cabinets, confused by my meaning. Only when I returned with my item of choice did Calypso let out a laugh. Katie still looked confused.

"Why blue?"

"You can blame his mother for that. I see some things don't change."

I smiled at Calypso as I dribbled the blue food coloring onto the pastries, then did the same with the lamb meat as Katie rotated it. She shook her head with a smile on her face.

"So should we make all of our food blue from now on?"

I smiled sheepishly at Katie's question. "Maybe just mine. I know you guys think it's weird, but this is how I keep in touch with my mom."

Katie's bright smile softened. "Okay. I can do that. In the meantime, you need to wait for your food like everybody else."

* * *

Sit patiently and wait. If only doing so came easily. I gave my best effort to wait at the dinner table, but the smell drove me crazy. With little to no other choice, I decided to escape the room.

In all honesty, I should have paid attention to the time. After all, crashing into Annabeth around a corner isn't the best way to say "Hey, babe, how was your day?"

Both of us fell back onto our butts. Annabeth clutched a bag to her chest like it was her baby. My guess was a new laptop from her mom.

Annabeth grumbled. "Percy, watch where you're going."

"Sorry, babe. Didn't know you were back already. How was class?"

"Fine," she said as she stood up.

"Nothing new or interesting?"

She scoffed. "Since when have you been so interested in architecture?"

"I… I don't know. I just wanted to ask… You know. Since we didn't exactly end on a positive note earlier."

Annabeth turned up her nose. "Yeah, well, don't worry about it. Go ahead and bang all the chicks you want."

"Annabeth…"

"Please," her voice rose, "like you don't already have your night planned for someone else."

"Um… I mean…"

"That's what I thought."

"You know that I have to—"

"I said drop it! If you want to bang Rachel, I don't care! If you want to plow the Hunters into their mattresses, be my guest!"

I reached out to take her arm, but she recoiled, keeping her bag close to her chest.

"Babe, listen to yourself."

"What!? Isn't this what you wanted!? For me to just be happy with everything!? For you to just plow your way through everyone like a daughter of Aphrodite in heat!?"

_THUMP!_

A flogger hit the floor. Standing at the base of it, with a pale, but angered expression, was none other than Silena.

"So that's what you think of us?" A tear rolled down her cheek.

Annabeth smirked. "Doesn't look like I was wrong. Thanks for letting me know who's getting railed tonight. If you'll excuse me."

She turned away, but I caught her wrist. Annabeth lashed her eyes back with a venomous glare. "_Let go_ of me!"

"Apologize to Silena! If you won't make things easy on me, then at least say you're sorry to her!"

"For what!? Being honest!? I've had up to here with all of the nonstop adultery! If you're _so_ desperate to get your dick wet, then go ahead! I won't stop you!"

My grip tightened. "Annabeth, please! You're not acting like—"

"I'm acting the way I choose!" A stray tear dripped off her cheek. "If you don't like it, then you can go run to Piper again. Or better yet, Calypso! Since you've already _proposed _to her!"

_If you could call it a proposal._

"Since when would you talk about your best friend so aggressively? She didn't do anyth—"

"I know damn well you guys talk about me behind my back! I'm not stupid!"

_But didn't she send us both into the shower when that happened?_

I tried to voice my thoughts, but the frustration of Annabeth yelling at me stalled the words in my throat. I could only stare at her and voice my words through my expression, praying for all it was worth that she understood, to no avail.

She simply scoffed and turned away, whipping her ponytail against my face. Her footsteps echoed through the hall as she stormed off, a trail of tears followed her as she went.

_Give her some time to herself,_ Chiron would say. _She will calm down on her own time._ Though I wanted to deny it, his words almost always rang true.

For a few moments, I stood there in silence. Though I wanted to follow in Piper's footsteps and punch a wall, I couldn't bear the idea of scaring Silena further.

I turned to the daughter of Aphrodite. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"No," she said. "I'm sorry you have to go through that. How long has this been going on?"

"Just today really. It just came out of left field. I don't understand why she's behaving this way."

"Oh… well…" Her attention turned towards the flogger on the ground. "If… if you need to vent some frustration…"

I took in her meaning. "No. Please, don't make me hit you. I already have another idea for you. I think it will work for both of us."

"But I need to be—"

"You will be. I have my own ways of punishing."

Silena tucked in her chin while crossing her arms, but rubbed her thighs together in a subtle sign of arousal.

"Are you sure you still want to meet tonight? You know… after that debacle."

I lifted her chin and kissed the tip of her nose. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay."

If only I could believe my own words. Though I wanted to believe things could be mulled over, I just couldn't understand why Annabeth was becoming so hostile. Only a few days prior, she was supportive, but now my anchor was slipping away from me.

"In the meantime," I picked up the multi tailed sex toy, "I think this could use another place to rest."

I placed the flogger in her hand gave her another kiss on the nose. After saying our goodbyes, I returned to the dining room. The smell grew even stronger than before, drawing a near drunk expression from my face.

The only difference between this visit and the last was the massive pile of makeup and accessories. Nail polish, hair extensions, foundation, or eye liner; no item seemed left behind. If what Piper said was true, and she really did know of every piece of Drew's makeup, then I need to have her keep track of my car keys… _Oh, wait…_

Speaking of which, the girl in question rummaged through the oversized mound. Every box was searched, every container was checked. She hummed a light tune to herself, bouncing her head along with every note.

"Something tells me you're going to enjoy lighting these on fire."

Piper peeked her head over her shoulder. "Hmm? Yeah, you have no idea. This can be a double victory. One for me, one for Leo."

_Touchy topic! Tread lightly!_

"Yeah? How so?"

She clicked the locks in place for a half used box of blush and turned to me. "Drew made his life miserable when we were building the Argo II. Poor guy was always a hopeless romantic, despite his obnoxious antics." She sighed and chuckled at the memory.

"This one time, Drew found out about a crush he had on a girl in the Hecate cabin. She charmspoke that girl to transfigure a cactus into a copy of herself and animate it. One hug later and Leo was pulling spines out of some _very_ unsavory places."

My hand instinctively shielded my crotch just from the idea. "Ow. Yeah, I think she's had this coming for a while."

"Oh, yeah." She looked me over, scanning my face in a familiar manner. "You got into a fight with Annabeth." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah." My head fell a few inches.

"Did you confront her about what happened?"

My head fell lower. "No. It wasn't about that. This morning, she started getting jealous. Like _really_ jealous."

Piper tilted her head. "Why? Sure, I get this isn't exactly the best situation for any relationship, but she seemed fine a few days ago."

"Exactly! That's why I'm confused." I buried my face in my hands. "She supported me when we first arrived. Now she just yells at me and tries to brush me off."

Piper curled her fingers around mine and pulled my hands from my face. With an innocent, albeit loving, gaze from a bowed head, she pressed her pressed her forehead to mine.

"Listen to me. It'll be okay. Just talk to her at dinner. Or after… Wait… you're meeting my sister."

"Yeah." My voice dripped with grief. "That didn't help matters."

"Dammit. Okay, well I'll go talk to her then."

"I wouldn't recommend that. She doesn't seem too fond of either of us for the moment. Or Calypso for that matter."

She cocked her head. "Why? What did Calypso do?"

"Aside from subtly putting her on the spot in front of my mom? Nothing. It's what _I_ did. I… I offered Calypso to be one of my wives. She accepted."

Piper gasped in mock disbelief, placing her hand to her chest. "And you haven't even asked _me_? Maybe I should join her in being jealous."

I gave her a pleading look.

"I'm just playing. Well, I can see why she would be a bit territorial. But to go as far as screaming at you? That's uncalled for. So what does she have against me?"

"She knows we talked about her in the shower. She doesn't know what, but she knows we talked."

"Mmm," a dreamy expression worked onto Piper's face, "I'd love to repeat that some time. Anyways, that does complicate things."

I looked on, hoping for any semblance of advice or hope.

"Wait, why don't we all talk to her about it? Calypso and us both, I mean. Clear the air, see her side of the story."

"I _have_ heard her side. It doesn't make any sense. It's like she's picking and choosing what to be upset about. Never have I seen her behave this erratically. Except maybe when she thought Rachel would steal me away."

"Did she?"

"Well… maybe a little."

"Ooh, Percy. Getting girls even before the harem." She grinned jokingly, nudging my arm with her elbow.

"Can we please get back to the topic at hand?"

"Yes," a voice interjected. "Let's."

Both Piper and I snapped our heads in the direction of the new speaker to see Calypso in the doorway of the kitchen with her arms crossed.

"It seems like there's much to discuss."

Piper and I caught her up with any details she didn't previously know, not that there were many.

"To think," Calypso muttered, "I was hoping for nothing more than a friendly competition over you. Maybe to see who could please you more. Never did I think this would happen. I _should have_ though." She turned her head to face me. "I'm so sorry, Percy."

I didn't want to accept the apology. It wasn't her fault. It couldn't be. Even I didn't see this coming.

Clearly reading the struggle on my face, Calypso wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace. Her breaths were short and choppy. The smell of cinnamon in her hair seemed too fragrant for the situation. Piper joined in, allowing us to enjoy a momentary group hug session.

"We can still fix this," Piper said. "Percy, while you're… christening the bed with Silena, Calypso and I can go talk to Annabeth. We can't let this go unresolved. Best to tackle it now before it gets out of control."

I smiled gratefully at Piper. Even when the odds fail her, she never turns her back on her friends. I could definitely relate though. Never would I do the same.

"Hopefully it will be enough," Calypso said. "I'd like the only problem being you struggling to sleep with everyone."

I couldn't even make a face at her. Too many emotions welled inside of me, waiting to burst. I could only bury my face in her shoulder and hug her tighter.

"Thank you, guys. Er, girls. It looks like we have our night planned out."

Calypso pulled back. "Seems like it. In the meantime, I could use some help setting the table."

* * *

Though delicious, dinner was quiet. Aside from a few remarks about the blue stuffing inside the gyros, hardly a word was spoken. The tension needed to be broken. There must be some way to give everyone something new to focus on.

_Please don't let this be like last night._

What didn't help was a certain absence. Annabeth's chair (my lap) remained empty. Piper sat to my left, her foot hooked around my ankle. Calypso sat in her usual spot, two seats down on the opposite side of the table. No doubt she didn't want to draw any attention by trying to claim my lap for herself in Annabeth's absence.

My brain swirled with thoughts. Too many to count. From activities to be done to people to talk to and everything else in between, an endless incoherent mess scrambled my thoughts until one small detail worked its way out.

"We're adding pegasi to the island," I blurted into the silence.

All heads snapped towards me. Some pulled away from their gyros, others (*cough* Rachel *cough*) took another bite for dramatic effect. Piper's spanakopita halted halfway between her lips as she raised an eyebrow.

"Since when was this going to be a thing?" Thalia asked.

"Since day one. Blackjack wanted a place for him and a couple of his friends to stay. The same can be said for the hippocampi. We'll be getting some of them to live on the island as well."

"And where exactly will they be living?" Katie asked. "I'm not quite ready to have the gardens trampled by a pegasi stampede."

"On the opposite end of the island. They want their privacy."

"Well, there's a relief. I haven't invested in my flying equestrian repellant."

I cracked a smile. "Speaking of which, a few of us are going on a trip tomorrow. If we're lucky, we might have some additional creatures joining us."

"What kind?" Hazel asked. "Please, no more unicorns."

"No. I won't go bringing any unicorns. I have enough creatures referring to me as 'lord' or 'master' as it is."

"Aww," Rachel said, "so you don't want me calling you 'master' as you-"

"Rachel!"

"Yes, Master?"

A round of giggles passed through the girls. My face went beet red. Piper squeezed my hand, but couldn't hide the smile on her face.

"So, why don't we get to the question everyone has?"

I glanced over to Thalia. "And that would be?"

"Well, right now, there is a certain someone not grinding her butt in your lap."

Another wave of giggles.

I sighed. "Annabeth is preoccupied-"

"Bullshit."

I furrowed my brows and frowned.

"I know you two better than you think. You're lying. What's _really_ going on?"

"It's… it's nothing to worry about right now."

"Since when has it _ever _been nothing to worry about? You know as well as I do that 'easy' doesn't exactly go hand in hand with us."

"Okay, fine. Annabeth and I are just… going through a difficult time right now. I'm guessing she didn't want to show up."

_Though in all honesty, I should have checked on her when I first noticed she wasn't here._

"What kind of 'difficult time?' We're not talking like… Annabeth losing her spot as headmistress, right?"

"I don't… what? No! Nothing like that!"

"Uh huh… Listen, if things are getting rough, you can talk to us. Don't think you're alone on this."

I decided not to mention my current help in this matter.

"Thanks. Seriously. But for right now, we have enough on our plate. Are you guys ready for a trip tomorrow?"

"I don't know," Bianca said. "I've never been to Texas. I don't know what to expect."

"Let's see. Texas in August. Expect heat and a bipolar state of humidity."

"Since when did you become an expert on Texas weather?" Thalia asked.

"Since Annabeth took an interest in mission style architecture. Plus, I've been there before."

"So dress in cool clothes," Bianca said. "Got it."

"So, is there anything else you want to divulge before I bring out dessert?" Katie asked.

I pondered for a few seconds. "No, that should be about it."

"Good. Since Calypso already gave you half a piece, you can clean up the plates while I get these served."

"Hey!"

"It's only fair. Besides you're about to have another dessert anyways."

Silena's face matched mine in turning red, leaving no question as to Katie's meaning.

I grumbled to myself, but carried out the order. _So this is what it feels like to be the subordinate…_

I washed the dishes and put everything away as the giggling and chatting continued in the dining room. Pout creases became near permanently affixed to my face as the smell of honey wafted into the kitchen. Only when a visitor walked in did my pout vanish.

"I snuck one for you," Calypso whispered. "But I want some form of payment."

"What kind?" I asked with a raised brow.

She lodged the baklava between her lips and gave me a dark eyed puppy dog stare. Wide eyes and a small pout with a sweet treat in the lips. Death came early, and Elysium was my destination.

A mix of crunching and moans sounded throughout the room, despite our efforts to remain quiet. We both munched away at our pieces of pastry as we pulled at one another's lips. Our tongues rubbed against one another, swiping away at any sweet honey left over in the other's mouth. Only when her tongue was clean of the sticky syrup did I pull away, brushing my nose against hers with a slight huff.

"Consider this an appetizer," she said. "I can make much more for another time."

With a wink, she danced away and returned to the dining room. A fair few catcalls directed their way to her, but her nonchalant responses made it difficult to guilt her further. Instead, the effort was put towards Silena.

A few remarks were made towards my plans with her later in the night. I would assume she left after the third one, which described a very interesting way I could use my water powers on her.

Such a remark reminded me of something. Her punishment. With a villainous smile on my face, I grabbed a cup and filled it with iced water. After double checking to ensure the dishes were all cleaned up and put away, I waited for the conversations to disperse. With an estimated half hour since Silena left, I trailed my way to her room with the cup in my hand.

_Tonight will be a night to remember…_

* * *

**A/N - Thank you, everyone, for being patient with me, and not blowing up the comments with a bunch of "Hey, it's been almost a week. When are you updating?" To keep everything mild, I smashed my finger between my bed and wall (because I'm skilled like that) and I've been covering shifts for my supervisor while he's out on vacation before the semester starts. Speaking of which, I've been running into issues there as well, but that's a whole other story. Bottom line, I've been swamped.**

**This being said, this next chapter is going to take me a while to post. With my typing limited (why did it have to be my pointer on my dominant hand?), getting this next chapter out is going to be difficult. Also, remember when I said I would be trying something new? Well, I need to further my research in this particular topic before I write it incorrectly, and wind up creating a much more dangerous chapter than I intended... Hehe... So yeah, it's going to be a while until my next post. Consider this your warning. ****To keep you busy I propose a challenge.**

***clears throat and speaks in Jigsaw's voice***

_**Hello, readers. You don't know me, but... I know you. I want to play a game.**_

_**For the past two months, you have gorged yourself on my writings, pleasuring yourselves selfishly as you hallucinate to words on a screen. Now, we shall see how far these hallucinations can go. During the break that occurs, your goal is to determine the following information regarding the writer:**_

_**\- Age**_

_**\- Ethnicity**_

_**\- Myers & Briggs Personality**_

_**\- Favorite Color**_

_**\- Education Level**_

_**-Zodiac Sign**_

_**Failure to comply will result in torture through withheld information. If you complete your assignment, you will be granted a hint about the future goddesses; the details varying depending on how many you get correct. If you somehow manage to answer all of the tasks correctly, not only will you be given the names of the goddesses, but you will be able to influence what activities will occur when their scenes arrive. As a bonus, you will be labeled in the upcoming Hall of Fame, in which your name will be displayed on my profile page, congratulating you for your success.**_

_**Let the game begin...**_

***clears throat***

**Anyways, hope you guys enjoy the little challenge. I'd like to see what you guys think of when I write, or at least how you picture me. By the end of the challenge I will go ahead and post the answers on the next author's note.**

**So how about we actually get to the chapter? It seems Percy just can't catch a break, can he? So many different battles on so many fronts, and yet he still faces them with a smile (sorta). Annabeth seems to be spiraling downwards on so many peoples' list in terms of liked characters. Oh, how I love this... And Silena will finally have the scene everyone has been waiting for. I'll do my best to make the wait worth it.**

**So I noticed a question in the recent reviews that seemed a bit... larger scale. Though simple, it's actually very imprtant.**

**So... pregnancy... Man, I really wish you saved that question for this chapter. Funnily enough, I actually address pregnancy in the next chapter (because it's just that intense). But to keep it simple, this story is not expected to leave the month of August. We're still in early August (early-ish). I know for a fact that this will go through Percy's birthday, but I don't imagine it going for much longer than that. Bottom line, no. Pregnancy won't be something that occurs. It just doesn't seem like a fitting time for anyone to get pregnant. There's enough going on as it is, plus Percy is nowhere near ready to be a parent. Sure it could create an interesting addition, but that just isn't for this story. Sorry if that disappoints you. If not, yay!**

**Lastly, I saw a review that I couldn't help but smile with. Thunderwolf7226... Food, huh? Well, I'm happy to tell you there will be a chapter revolving around food. It won't be for a while, but yes, Percy will eventually get to mess around with whipped cream (among other things). Will it be with Silena? No. But I don't think you'll be disappointed with my pick.**

**Well, I think this author's note has gone on long enough. Of course, play in the challenge if you want, but don't come screaming at me for not posting if it takes me a while. Writing with one and a half hands isn't very pleasant. Leave a review (and any info you think you have on me, if you dare). This is Ronin signing off.**


	30. Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice

_CLOP, CLOP, CLOP!_

The soft echoes of my heels against the tiles rang throughout the hallways. Too familiar was this walk. Too familiar were the feelings of anxiety. A reverse walk of shame, yet it wasn't shame I felt. Similar, but different.

With nothing more than a cup in hand, I shook. The ice water sloshed and rattled as I failed to keep my hand steady. What once was a comforting sound, now the _CLINK, CLINK_ of ice against glass seemed to match my pulse, which was steadily accelerating.

_This isn't your first time doing this. Why are you nervous?_

_It's my first time doing this with _Silena_! Plus, I've never done what I'm planning to do!_

_Oh, you big baby! You both will love it! And it punishes her! It's a win-win!_

My conflicting thoughts came to a halt the moment Silena's door stood before me.

_Number eight, Rachel said. That can't be right._

Looking back on it, I came to the startling conclusion that she spoke the truth. Piper, Annabeth, Katie, Palírroia, Calypso, Rose, and Thŷella. Now I was to add Silena to that count. In that moment, I realized why Annabeth would speak to me with such disgust, or at least it was my attempt to rationalize it. Most decent men never wind up with even half the body count I racked up. By all accounts, I _was_ a man whore.

With that pleasant thought, I knocked at Silena's door, half hoping she wouldn't reply. Making out was one thing. Sex? Well, sex with someone is entirely different. All barriers are broken, all secrecy removed. At least if it's done right.

"Come in!"

The door wheeled open before me and I took a step through the threshold. I wisely held my breath before entering, because the sight before me left me unable to breathe.

Small candles dimly lit the room in a show of flickering dances. They were clearly homemade, if the lopsided shapes were anything to go by.

Rose petals littered the floor, forming a gentle pink and red path towards the bed.

The bed. Oh, the bed. Or rather, what lay sprawled on the bed. Silena rested on her side, one arm thrown across her hip, the other nestled under her generous bosom. Adorned in the blue and black lingerie from earlier, I could not have asked for a more seductive choice of apparel. Let her keep it, because I don't know how I would react to seeing Annabeth in such an outfit.

"Um." _Remember to breathe! _"H- hey, Silena."

Her bashful face mirrored my awkward tone. "What do you think?"

No flirting. No coy plays. No efforts to put a blush on my face. Just genuine concern and the hopes that I like what I see. Maybe now I can see why Beckondorf took so long to date her. She was almost too good to be real. You had to play it safe.

I strolled over, delicate flower petals flattening under my step. I swiped a finger against a nearby candle, the soft wax molding beneath my touch. My hand rested on Silena's as I sat on the edge of the bed, though I yearned to move it towards more… sensitive locations.

"I know this sounds cheesy," I said, "but you could be wearing a burlap sack and I would still find you stunning."

She turned away, burying her flared cheeks into her shoulder. Her fingers curled around mine one by one, taking each into her grasp until my knuckles settled against her soft palm.

"So," she said, "what do you have planned for me? Should I-" Her voice cracked. "Should I expect to leave this bed with red marks and bruises?"

I couldn't tell you what broke my heart more. The quiver of her lip; her inability to meet my eyes; the shakiness of her tightening grip. Perhaps it was the dulled acceptance. Long ago, she came to terms with a harsh punishment being dealt to her. Now she feared facing it in mere minutes.

"Only if you ask for it. Though you might end up giving me some ideas if you don't stay silent."

Her lips sealed shut and her face paled. In that moment, I realized just how bad of a tease that was. I raised my hand and lifted hers to my lips. While giving the back of her palm a gentle kiss, I used the condensation of the glass to carry it to an end table.

"I'm not planning on hurting you. But that doesn't mean I won't tease you."

Silena gulped. "So that's my punishment? You're going to tease me until I'm begging for it?"

"In a manner of speaking. The way I'm going to do it is what makes it seem like a punishment."

She tucked her chin to her chest as she eyed me nervously.

"And how exactly are you going to do it?"

"You can find out if you're ready."

Her show of panic didn't go unregistered. I rested my hand on her shoulder, to which she immediately grasped it with her own. She held it there, even going as far as to lean her head and press her cheek against it. Through tightened lips and sealed eyes, she nodded her head. Needless to say, I wasn't convinced.

"Silena, you don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do. For my own sake, I _have_ to be punished. I won't ever forgive myself for my own actions. I _can't_!"

Her blue eyes shone with fear. She looked at me with a similar fear as the drakon responsible for her death. A predator. A monster.

I pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm going to get a towel. When I come back, you can tell me whether or not you're _really_ ready."

"And why do you need a towel?"

But I already left the bed. Her bathroom being so close left the trip very short, but the quick trip allowed me to familiarize myself with her perfume choices. Silena was never one for makeup, choosing not to stand out amongst the crowd. It once even gained the attention of Zoë before they both… died… Regardless, her perfume seemed to mirror that. A single bottle positioned by the faucet of her sink stared back at me. The cursive writing was impossible to make out, but if my memory served me correctly, it was Thierry Mugler Angel.

One spritz into the air confirmed my guess. The thick scent of rich caramel filled my nostrils, making my eyes roll up. _She'll be calling to the angels by the time I finish with her. _I pocketed the bottle and grabbed a plush towel from the cupboard.

My return trip faced me with a no less nervous Silena, though she attempted to mask it with a look of determination.

"I take it you've made your choice."

She nodded her head. "I'm ready."

"Alright."

I spread out the towel on the bed beside her. "Go ahead and lie down on this."

Rather than questioning me again, she did as I said and laid her back against the towel. Her head rested on a plump pillow, sinking a few inches into the cloud of memory foam.

I leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. Her once choppy breaths steadied. Her eyes closed in a look of gentle bliss.

"The safe word is 'Cythera.'"

Her eyes widened, no doubt a show of panic. After all, why would I need to employ a safe word? If only she knew…

With a wave of my hand, the water from the glass surged forward and split into four separate blobs. Each encircled an extremity, be it either an ankle or a wrist, but not before I used them to tug away at her clothes. Why should I settle for rope or handcuffs? They're uncomfortable (I would know). This method was so much easier and much more effective. Not to mention, unique to me.

If this were any other time, I would have marveled at Silena's bare body. Her figure put many to shame. I won't lie when I say I wanted to run my hands all along her supple skin and rub my tongue raw against her. But that would have to come later.

With her movement suddenly restricted and her clothes reduced to nothing, Silena's breath rate spiked. I attempted to calm her by trailing my hand along her body as I made my way toward the end table. It worked a little bit, but her anxiety showed through.

I reached the table and pulled out one of the ice cubes from the glass. The frigid block dripped along my hand, until I decided it shouldn't. In that moment, my hypothesis was proven correct. I could control the state of water, or at least restrict it. For the time being, that's all I needed to do.

I pressed the cube against my wrist. While it definitely sent a shiver down my back, I've certainly dealt with worse conditions during my adventures. I returned it to the glass to join the others and took the whole cup for myself. Silena watched on, her angle preventing her from seeing what I did at the table and what I was about to do.

I stopped halfway down the bed and looked up to Silena. So exposed in her bare glory, she looked ready for the taking. It would be so easy to unleash all sorts of nasty (and _nasty _*wink wink*) ideas on her. Maybe another time. Or another person. After all, why push all of the more… creative ideas onto only one person?

With a smirk, I took in the perplexed expression on Silena's face as I rolled the ice cube between my fingers. The frozen block dripped down my chin as I pressed it to my lips for one last temperature test. Not too cold. But certainly enough to get a rise out of you.

Silena's eyebrows arched as I brought the cube closer to her, inching it nearer, deliberately taking my time to see her reaction. Her breath hitched as it made contact. The small, isolated sensation was no doubt alien to her. Or at least long forgotten.

I started with her shin. Seemed as good a starting point as any. The nerves weren't overwhelming in amount, so the cool cube should numb her at most. When I shifted around to her calf, her breaths told a different story.

Not once did she attempt to stop me. Not once did she utter the safe word. The frozen block trailed along her lower leg without a single utterance of disapproval. Small trails of cold water marked the path of the cube along her pale skin, with my permission of course.

"Mmm, this doesn't seem like much of a punishment."

I offered a devious smile. "This is only part one."

Her brow furrowed, but she shrugged and leaned her head back into the pillow. I supposed she was going to enjoy it while she still could.

_If only she knew…_

My hand dipped, taking the never melting ice cube to new places. First her ankle. No real reaction. Her knee. Okay, now we're getting somewhere. Her foot. Getting warmer (hehe). The _underside_ of her foot. Jackpot!

"Oh, fuck," she muttered.

I rubbed the ice cube along the arch of her foot, which craned and flexed in an effort to escape the cold.

"My, my, Silena. I never took you for one to have a dirty mouth."

She pouted furiously. "So says the one rubbing me with ice."

"Hmm, well maybe you still need to cool down a bit."

I shifted around her, crawling onto the bed and spreading her legs by a few inches.

"And how exactly do you propose to do that- ah! Oh, gods!"

Vulnerable points turned up left and right as I glided the ice cube along the inside of her leg. The back of her knee was especially sensitive. Perhaps the best reaction, though, came from her inner thighs.

"Oh, gods," she would mutter, so quiet, you could barely hear her. "Closer. Please, closer."

So desperate was her expression. So sensitive was her skin. The soft muscles shivered and rippled beneath my touch. Her quivering increased as I approached her core. No doubt, she wanted me to put out a special fire there. She would have to wait.

I plucked away the cube to a soft whimper. Silena's once flirty gaze turned to nothing but desperation and pleading.

"So this is how you punish? By teasing us?"

I smiled as I rested the cube on her shoulder. A flick of my hand pulled another cube to me; not by controlling the ice itself, but by controlling the water surrounding it. Yet another hovered to her dry leg. Who said I needed to use my hands to play with her?

"Now you're getting the idea."

I sucked on one cube while rubbing the other along her collarbone. When I was good and cold, I pressed my chilled lips against her neck. Small smacks sounded against her as trailed small kisses along her jugular. Her fingers and toes curled as I approached the underside of her jaw, to which she leaned her head back to give me full access. Her hot exhales made me long to see what a kiss between us would be like, but I restrained myself.

"Someone's enjoying this," I said with a smirk. Still, I continued pressing dainty kisses on her windpipe.

"Gods, yes." She shivered. Whether it was from the frosty kisses or the ice cube dancing along her thigh, teasing her by veering away right before it reached her nether regions, I couldn't tell you.

I pulled away. "Good. Enjoy it while you can. Things will be _very_ different soon."

Her eyes dilated. A small whimper left her lips, but she said nothing.

My hands moved down to her torso. Starting along her flanks, I rubbed the ice cubes up and down, taking in the slight bumps of her rib cage. As I moved lower, her breathing quickened, only to be cut off by an annoyed groan when I pulled away. I teased her, circling the parts she wanted me to touch so desperately.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "I thought you wanted to be punished."

"Yeah, but I was expecting to be spanked or choked or beaten. Not to be tea- ahhh! Yesssss!"

Her eyes rolled up into the back of her head as the floating cube grazed her clit and circled the skin along her pubic bone. Simultaneously, I brought both cubes in my hands to her nipples. The dreamy, albeit shaky smile on her face was one for the books. It _almost_ made pulling away difficult.

"No, no! Please! Put them back!"

"Now why would I do that?"

My hands retrailed her sides, massaging the chilly cubes into her skin.

"P- please. I want to feel it again."

Rather than rubbing her further, I allowed the hovering ice cube to drip onto her vulva. The soft thuds were enough to warrant a round of soft moaning, to which her hips bucked with every drop, but I pulled away just as she got into it.

"Now I see what you mean," she grumbled. "This teasing really is a punishment."

I sucked on both of the cubes in my hands before I was happy with the temperature. With my lips once again reduced to a freezing temperature, I lowered my head against her skin. This time, I aimed for her belly.

"Oh, you have no idea."

I did not settle for kissing her soft belly alone. I happily rubbed her with the cubes while occasionally adding my tongue to the mix, though I made sure to cool it whenever I did.

Her restrained squirming failed to deter me. If anything, I wanted more of it. With her front so adequately iced over, I rolled her onto her stomach, exposing her delectable cheeks.

_Calm yourself, Percy. This isn't your first time seeing someone's bare ass, nor will it be your last._

After steadying my own breaths, I willed the last two ice cubes from the cup to join the little soirée. Silena cried out as all five ice cubes made contact with various parts of her anatomy. Be it her legs or her back or her feet, I ensured all spots were given special attention.

I kept one cube in hand for a very special spot. It seemed like a no brainer, but the reaction was worth it. Along her spine, I trailed the block of ice. Her groaning served well in telling me how much it affected her. As did her curling toes and balled fists.

"Oh, gods!"

With every inch of her body having felt the crisp touch of the ice, I pulled away from her, satisfied with my handiwork. She groaned in frustration. When I rolled her back over, she eyed me with an annoyed glare.

"Can you stop with the teasing?"

"Absolutely," I said. "Now we can get to the _real_ punishment."

She gulped with wide eyes. The realization of her treatment not being over finally settled in.

"Do you know why I rubbed you down in ice?"

"Be… because it feels good?"

"No. I did it because it makes your skin _so much more_ sensitive."

Her head turned away as she hunched her shoulders.

"So you _are_ going to beat me… Okay… I'm ready to be punished."

I strolled along the side of the bed and picked up her chin. Her misty eyes looked back with a numbed acceptance.

"I told you, I'm _not_ going to hit you. That doesn't mean I don't have other ideas."

She eyed me fearfully. "Like what?" Her voice quivered.

I leaned in and moved my lips right next to her ear.

"Something hot and messy."

My hands rolled up Silena's hypersensitized belly, eliciting a shiver from her. She tensed her arms in an attempt to wrap them around me, but I held her restraints in place. She groaned out, tears of frustration rolling down her cheeks.

"Do your worst then."

Lips fell on lips as I moved to comfort her for a few seconds more. Only when her breathing steadied and her posture relaxed did I pull away. No margin for error. No time to be coy. Only time to experiment.

I pulled away from the bed and shifted over to the end table. Without giving myself time for hesitation, I reached forward and took hold of one of the misshapen candle blocks. Despite its soft wax, most of the candle remained intact. Small breezes and breaths threatened to blow out the flame, but it continued dancing on, flickering above my new instrument of choice.

All attention returned to Silena when a very audible gulp sounded out. Pale in the face and eyes wide, she looked on with a newfound fear.

"So _that's_ my punishment?"

It took all of my willpower to not release her of her bonds. So easy would it have been to let her go and ravage her as I have to the others. In both of our states, I doubted she would hold back, especially after the ice treatment. Surely, she would want some payback.

"Don't forget the safe word if it becomes too much."

Not a word passed between us when I moved the candle over her body. Fearful glances, yes. Tensed muscles, of course. But not a word.

_DRIP!_

Not a word.

_DRIP!_

Not a word.

_DRIP!_

"Oh!"

_DRIP!_

"Ah!"

Small droplets of hot wax painted her skin pale yellow. Seconds rolled into minutes as I continued on, dripping the lustrous fluid which hardened on contact with her smooth skin. I started small, allowing the candle to drizzle along her shins. The first few resulted in her tensing up, but she did not utter a single word. Some particularly warm globules of wax failed to cool on contact, resulting in shrill gasps and strangled cries. They would shift and sway above her flexing muscles, and roll down the sides of her calves and onto the towel.

"Oh, gods!"

Gasps became moans, and moans became cries. After a few excruciatingly long minutes, every drop resulted in a vocal response. I tested locations slowly, taking my time to ensure not only if it resulted in a decent reaction, but also to remain cautious of her safety. It _was_ a punishment, but I didn't want to hurt Silena.

A drip on her knee.

"Oh!"

A small shower along her thigh.

"Oh, gods!"

A sprinkling on her waist.

"Fuck!"

Only when I realized her vocalities were going to continue and increase in scale did I pull the candle away. Wax coated her lower body, be it in small dots or in pale yellow patches half the size of my hand. Yellow may not have been her color, but that didn't make the scene any less alluring.

"Are you done?" she asked. Her lips quivered and her eyes looked fractured. Caught between a fine balance of pain and pleasure, I couldn't blame her for her indecisiveness.

"No. But _you're_ too loud."

"I… I can't help it! You're dropping hot wa— mmmf!"

First, I silenced her with my lips. Next, I silenced her with some ice cubes.

"Suck on those if you feel like crying out. Don't worry about them getting smaller. I can keep that from happening."

She nodded with a newfound lustful fear in her eyes. Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked. Far too tempting was it to test out how well she could suck on… other things, but at the moment, another task was at hand.

I returned to her body, a larger pool of wax ready to be dribbled after the pause. But where? Where could I put it?

Silena heaved and moaned as I rubbed along her body, contemplating where I could pour the wax. _Wait… heaving…_

_Why didn't I think of that before?_

Careful not to spill any prematurely, I moved the wax over her rising chest. Her eyes went wide as she took notice, her eyes hazy, but still very much alert to the action about to take place.

"Rrrrrhh!"

Her muffled cries barely reached my ears. Still, I realized the slight errors of what I did. I silenced her.

"You don't have to keep them in your mouth if you don't want to. Just in case you need to say the safe word."

She paused, taking my words into consideration, but did not make any attempt to remove them. She only looked to her own chest, then to the candle in my hand, and nodded.

With her full permission, I tilted the block of wax. Its melted crater emptied its contents, raining a stream of wax against her breasts, and anything within the splash zone.

"_MMM!_"

Silena thrashed in place as the wax molded to her form. Small rivulets dribbled down her ribs and onto the towel. Her eyes twitched, as did her fingers.

For a few seconds, I waited. It was a bold move I pulled. I needed to make sure I didn't go overboard.

Silena lied there on the bed with her chest plastered in a thinning layer of wax. The impression left on the exterior looked like a child's attempt to create boobs out of Play-Doh. Still, my mouth watered for the real things underneath. No doubt entered my mind as I considered how warm they must feel.

Minutes passed, and Silena refused to move. Her eyes glazed over as she shivered in place. Even her jaw went slack, dropping the ice cubes from her mouth.

"Silena," I said, dropping the dom act, "are you okay?"

She nodded, though it was so slight that I half mistook it for part of her shivering. With a newfound concern, I shifted over her to study her face. Far off gaze, check. Slack jawed silent scream, check. Choppy inhales with very few exhales, check.

_This is either very good or very bad_…

One look between her legs gave the answer. A dark puddle soaked the sheets from her waist to her knees. For a few minutes more, Silena laid there, motionless. I dared not to touch her, not with how sensitive she was at the moment.

"I take it you enjoyed that?"

"Oh, gods, yes," she said as she came to. "Painful, but… ugh!" Her expression morphed into a bashful one in an instant. "Um. Do you think we could try more stuff like that in the future?"

I cocked an eyebrow. "Sounds like someone's a bit of a masochist."

To be completely honest, a massive weight was lifted from my shoulders. I didn't push too far. I didn't severely hurt her. And most importantly, she wasn't being self deprecative.

Her face flushed and she spluttered. "Wha… I mean… yeah, but… I… I also like the tender stuff. I prefer it actually. But that doesn't mean a girl doesn't want to be treated rough every now and then…"

"Well, that's a relief. I guess that prepares you for the next part."

"Next part?"

"Yeah. I mean, I have to clean you up. Plus I think someone earned themselves a nice rubdown after that treatment. Unless of course, you want me to just go…"

"No! No, please! I… I mean… I would really like that. I guess I just wasn't expecting you to go down a tender route with me. After all, I did—"

"Stop it," I said as I sent her restraints back into the cup. "What's done is done. You can't change it. We've all done things we aren't proud of. So instead of complaining about how much you should be punished, why don't you just lay back, relax, and hand me that bottle of baby oil. We can work in more… punishments later."

Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure the dark spot between her legs got bigger.

"Oh! Well… okay."

Silena's face turned several shades redder as she handed me the bottle.

"Weren't you planning on putting this on already?" I asked as I retrieved a second towel from the bathroom.

"Well… Kind of. I was originally planning on putting it on myself before you got here. I just didn't have the time."

"I see," I said with a smirk. "Well, fortunately, I can take care of that for you."

Oh, how the tables have turned. Silena buried her hands in her face, but peeked through her fingers to keep her gaze on me. If you told me a few days ago that I could reduce Silena to a blushing mess, I would have laughed.

"Now, why don't you lay back down. I'll take care of you."

After a shy nod, she rested her head against the pillow and tucked her hands behind her back.

I stared at the mess I made. All along her body, dried wax mottled her skin like a salamander's spots. Some dots were no bigger than a quarter; then there were some like the dinner plate coating on her breasts. The pale yellow looked horrible. Like a day old bruise which decided to get infected. It had no place marring Silena's image.

Wax broke away like a thin crust as I ran the towel over it. Small dots vanished with no issue, but the larger splotches required some work. Beneath the dried liquid, small red dots pocked along Silena's body. Small burns that, despite Silena declaring she was okay, looked quite painful. Don't even get me started on her chest. Once fair skin turned pink. It was near impossible to tell where her breasts ended and her areolas began.

For the final time that night, I summoned the water to me. No longer for restraint. No longer for punishment. No. Now it was for healing. I dared not to touch her sensitive skin while it was marbled in burns. I let the water do the work, washing over her body and hydrating every red mark. Her legs were hardly altered. Her stomach returned to its original pale form. Her breasts… Well, they became a marvel to look at once again.

Am I objectifying her body? Perhaps. But then again, it went both ways.

"Do you think you could take off your clothes while you rub me down?"

"Is there something in particular you want to see?" I asked with a devious smirk.

"Yes," she said bright blue puppy dog eyes. "Everything."

Given how much I put her through, there was no way I could refuse her request. I indulged her, taking my time to remove my shirt (which happened to be somewhat coated in wax). Next came the socks and shoes.

Silena ogled on, her eyes dimming with a newfound lust as her mouth parted ever wider. Without even needing to lay a finger on her, I managed to reduce Silena to a panting state. She pressed her thighs together in a vain attempt to conceal her arousal, but the dark patch spread beneath her and passed the sides of her legs.

A small line of drool fell from her mouth as I removed my pants. Though under most circumstances, I didn't like people trying to look at me for just my appearance, I found a fresh air of confidence after receiving this very same reaction from the several girls before this. By now, any thoughts of being shy were thrown out the window. After all, even demigods have needs. I'm simply helping Silena with hers.

Silena, the ever so polite lady she is, did not look at the bare parts of my body any longer than she could manage. Rather, she turned her attention to the one part that was still covered. The fact that it was rock hard should be irrelevant, but I have my doubts that she cared.

"Like what you see?"

She nodded with a dumbfounded expression, not really paying attention to the words, but to the person speaking them. Her gaze lingered for a few seconds more before turning to my face, meeting me with a pout and a renewed puppy gaze.

"Please?" she asked in a high pitched whine.

"Not yet."

I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers for a few seconds. She returned it lazily, her mind seeming to be off on another world.

When I pulled away, I unscrewed the top of the baby oil. Turning my attention to a special additive, I pulled the bottle of perfume out of my discarded pants pocket. Two glugs of perfume and a vigorous cycle of shaking the mixture later, I returned to Silena with a very… rich scented rubbing oil.

"Don't you think the smell will be too strong?" Silena asked.

"Well," I said as I straddled her waist, pressing my hands down on her shoulders, "I guess I'll have to turn you on to the point your scent overpowers the perfume."

She visibly shuddered under my touch, and a hitch in her breath proved my words got to her.

With a smile on my face, I pulled off of her as she silently whimpered for me to stay. Not too long after did I deliver her request in a far grander fashion than she hoped.

"It's cold," she whined as I squirted a line of oil along her legs.

"Then let me warm you up."

Silena let out a soft coo as I rubbed my hands along her legs. Every inch was touched, every parcel of skin slathered in the scented oil.

"Oh, Percy," she whispered.

My hands trailed upwards, rubbing her thighs, which trembled beneath my fingers. I kneaded with firm strokes, allowing my calloused hands to be put to use. Rough skin fell on soft as her thighs molded beneath me. I dared not to raise her leg. There's no telling what either of us would do if given an opening. For the time being, I wanted to draw out her massage.

When I was certain her legs were thoroughly oiled, I moved upwards once again. A drizzle of oil cooled her torso just as wax had burned it seemingly minutes prior. Shameless hands massaged her belly, pressing and swirling her soft flesh. Yet the softest part lay with her breasts. Her breasts… Oh how I wished I could use her as a pillow for the rest of time. Warm within, but cool on contact. Excess flesh spilled between my fingers as I took them in hand, spreading the oils and the scent everywhere I touched. I lingered there for perhaps a bit too long before I decided to move on.

Her thin arms came next. Quick and easy. Her soft muscles were as much a delight as the rest of her. As I came to a finish with massaging her palm, I raised her arms to kiss her knuckles. A small giggle followed her gentle moan.

"Roll over for me."

Silena complied with a smile. As she turned over, she glanced back with a seductive gaze, gently biting her rosy lower lip.

"Lay your head down."

Again, not a word. Only silently excited compliance.

I shifted her mane of dark hair aside and began with her neck. Dribbling small traces of the scented oil along her shoulder blades. She swayed her head in tandem with my motions, moaning and groaning as I dug my fingers deep into her neck muscles.

"I think you missed your calling when you took up sword fighting. Those hands are put to much better use giving rubdowns."

I concealed the smirk on my lips. "Maybe. But if I never took up sword fighting, you wouldn't be here right now, and I'd be massaging someone else."

"Mmm. I guess you're right. Just don't let this talent go to waste."

"That would require a willing participant."

"Consider me willing then. And I won't mind reciprocating, if you know what I mean."

She let out a shrill gasp as I poured a cool stream along her spine, mirroring the path of the ice cube from before. Her shoulders and back fell under my fingers' control. Every sway, every flex, every shiver; all of it, controlled by my hands. Her tapered waist fell victim to my touch, trembling beneath it, only to relax as I squeezed. And down I went.

My fingers raced down her hips, taking extra care to avoid oiling the curvaceous cheeks affixed to Silena's backside. The back of her thighs rippled and relaxed with every stroke of my fingers. Silena let out soft moans into her pillow as my hands worked, kneading at the pillow as though she were trying to massage it just as I did to her.

Her slender calves tensed on contact with the cold oils, but when introduced to my rough hands, softened beneath me like tenderized meat beneath a butcher's mallet. Her dainty ankles required little work, what with the few muscles for me to coax.

Her small feet curled and flexed with my touch. I took extra care to give them my fullest attention, pressing my thumb into her arches and circling the soft skin. Every toe felt my touch, each one twisted and rubbed with the utmost care.

My attention returned to the one place yet to feel my hands. On, how her round cheeks teased me invitingly. The bubbly flesh jiggled with every movement. So soft and delicate, yet so easy to bring my hand down on.

But I dare not. Never could I bring myself to spank or slap Silena without Khione's mangled form invading my thoughts. No more harsh treatment. No more beatings. Only tender caresses and gentle squeezing for her lovely derriere.

"Oh!" Silena cried out as I drizzled the last part of her exposed body in the slippery liquid.

My thoughts strayed from my head, no longer coherent as I took her delectable cheeks into my hands. Soft flesh spilled between my fingers as I squeezed and slathered. Every shift of my fingers rippled along her butt; the firm and the soft coming together in perfect harmony.

Silena raised her hips to meet me, driving her plump cheeks further into my hands. Before long, she was on her knees, still angling herself downward to keep her chest pressed firmly into the bed. She looked back with desperation clear on her face.

"Please," she said, wiggling her hips.

No further request was needed. Her plea as clear as day; the evidence staining the sheets.

I ran my hands down the figure of her hips, wrapping them loosely along the top of her thighs. Curious fingers, tired of squeezing, longed for a new type of massage. I took in a great whiff, my plan evidently coming to fruition. Though the smells of patchouli, red berries, and caramel were evident, a heavier sweet musk filled my nostrils.

Her thighs quivered as I inched my fingers closer, deliberately taking my time to ensure she felt every second pass with a frantic excitement. The pink lips of her vulva gushed with fluids, slicking her better than oils ever could. One brush of my fingers resulted in her thighs being decorated in a fresh coat of liquid.

"Oh, fuck!" Silena cried.

All of the teasing; the ice, the wax, the massage and oils; everything manifested itself into a hypersensitive pussy waiting to be devoured. Though I was half tempted to finger fuck her until she squirted all over me, I couldn't deny how tasty her juicy lips looked.

With my hands locked around her hips, I lowered my face to give her a kiss in the most delicate region of her body.

"Oh!" she cried out with a spasm.

Just one kiss. All it took for me to unlock a need to feast was one kiss.

I dragged her to the edge of the bed, causing her to yelp. With her knees planted on the edge, and her body arched downward, I ordered Silena to shake her ass.

"Like this?"

"Good girl."

My meal swayed back and forth, teasing me to indulge myself. Take her. Take her like a bitch in heat. Mount her like a wolf and barrel into her juicy cunt until no doubt remain of her belly swelling in the next few months. Perhaps it was the pheromones she put off. I can't deny, I felt the same urges with Piper; to make her bloat with future generations of the Jackson name.

Daughters of Aphrodite must share that trait. After all, the scent of smell is perhaps the most powerful.

Yet, with all of my raging hormones demanding for me to start "spreading my influence," I vanquished those thoughts with one word. Parenthood.

No doubt, the prospect of parenthood was exciting. All too visceral now, given the circumstances. But still, I wasn't prepared for that journey. Not by a long shot. Perhaps a few years down the line, I could see a little girl dangling from my arms, her eyes as grey as Annabeth's, but with dark hair like my own. Of course, with an eternity to spare, the only deadline I faced was my own readiness and the lifeline of my mother.

Just as quickly as my thoughts strayed, they snapped back to the sight in front of me. Silena did not relent in shaking, causing my mouth to mirror the dripping of her cunt.

"Please, Percy! I'll be a good girl! I'll do whatever you want! Just please, make me scream!"

My hands grasped the back of her thighs, causing her breath to hitch.

"We can't be too loud. As much as I want to hear you scream my name, we can't risk waking everyone up."

In a panicked frenzy, Silena threw her head around to find something, anything that could muffle her moans. The only thing in reach was the towel in front of her. She took it into her mouth, clamping her teeth into it as though she were a dog wrestling with her owner.

"There's a good girl," I said.

My hands shifted inwards, driving closer to her sopping pussy lips. Upon reaching her center, I spread her lips with two fingers, revealing her hot pink interior. "Hot" in multiple ways.

_Let's cool her down._

I blew a steady, cool breath from my lips to her hers, a forceful airflow the made her opening quiver.

"Mmm!"

Her muffled moans only increased my hunger. A hunger for her pleasure. A hunger for her body to become mine. I heeded the hunger's call, and pressed my tongue to the pink core.

"Mmmmm!"

Sweet. Overpowering. Musky. An eternity could be spent determining how Silena tasted, much like her half sister before her. In the end, only one thing mattered: lapping every drop of juice that spilled from her tasty snatch.

I let out a primal growl as I drove my tongue into her hot insides. Every ridge of her vagina seemed to ooze more and more fluids with every flick of my tongue. Her lips folded and fluttered as a result, her thighs quivering with as much gusto as her labia. Mere moments passed before she gushed into my mouth with a muffled scream, grasping and clawing at the covers.

_Mmm, tasty._

I refused to relent my assault. Even with her increased sensitivity, I continued. My fingers pierced her burning hot center, grazing along her walls until I reached a familiar bundle of nerves. Simple strokes would be enough, but I circled the patch with a firm enthusiasm, licking and sucking up every drop that fell from her snatch. When I was certain she was ready for another high, my meal turned to the lovely little pleasure pearl at the apex of her cunt. Indeed it was tasty. So much in fact that I couldn't help but nibble at it as I sucked. Just a nibble. Delicate and gentle, but oh so necessary.

"_Mmmff mmmf mmf mf_!"

Silena spasmed with every moan. Twitching. Convulsing. If not for my arm locking both of her knees against the bed, no question remained about where her legs would be. She could only whimper and scream into her towel as I unleashed my most primal urge against her. To feast. To enjoy every drop of her essence. Become drunk on her scent. Drunk on the very odor of lust that only a daughter of Aphrodite can emit.

Her moans died down as my actions calmed; reduced to choppy breaths into her towel. Her body quavered, held up only by the pleasured paralysis of her shivering knees.

I circled the bed, walking around it to see her face. If she saw me, her face offered no evidence. Her half lidded eyes rolled up into the back of her skull, revealing only the bloodshot whites, appearing both demonic and angelic. The towel caught in her mouth was saturated with drool, soaked to the limit with tears and spit. Yet she dared not to move. Only shivers. Only incoherent gasps for air from a drool coated towel.

For a few minutes longer, she remained still. When the time came for her to move, she turned her head to face me with a blissful smile.

"More, please."

I laughed. "I don't think you can handle any more."

She pressed a finger to her lips. "Well, in that case…"

Quicker than expected, she lunged forward and grasped the hem of my boxer briefs. A hungry smile played on her face as she licked her lips, switching her gaze back and forth between my face and the ever present bulge in my underwear.

"Time to help relieve all of this tension," she said.

No further statements were made as she dragged the last article of clothing down my thighs and passed my knees, letting it drop to my ankles when no further muscles would hold it up. With my erection staring her straight in the face, she held its gaze for a few seconds, her mouth parting with every labored breath. Eyes wide and hands twitching in excitement, Silena stared at the throbbing organ before her, swelled now from going too long without release. Heavy balls pulled down at my scrotum, swaying between my thighs, ready to burst and release their contents on whoever was willing to give them the attention they so desired.

"Gods, Percy," Silena said as she cradled the swollen sack in front of her, "how much teasing did you have to go through to get this pent up?"

"Nnng, you have no idea. I haven't had any release since I was with Calypso two nights ago."

"Mmm, someone's been saving up for me."

She shifted my balls between her tender fingers, using her other hand to stroke the shaft. Ever the one to stay different, she pulled herself forward and pressed her nose to the base of my scrotum, letting my cock rest along the bridge of her nose and forehead. She took a deep breath through her nose, shuddering as she inhaled my scent with rolled up eyes.

"So masculine," she whispered. "Oh, I've needed this."

I ran a hand along her cheek, to which she eyed me with a playful smile. Such a stark contrast to her next words.

"I want you to face fuck me."

I jumped back in a mixture of shock and horror. "What?!"

"Like you so eloquently pointed out earlier, I'm a bit of a masochist. If you won't spank me, you can at least get a little rough in other ways."

I let out a laugh. "So is that what this is all about? You were never trying to get me to punish you because you deserved it; you just wanted me to get rough with you."

"Yes and no. I _did _feel like I needed to be punished. I still do. But that doesn't mean I don't want you to fuck me like a street whore."

"Oh… Are you sure about this?"

To answer my question, she opened her mouth wide and stuck her tongue out. Once again, bright blue eyes met me with an alluring, albeit innocent, gaze.

I sighed in defeat as I approached her. "Tap on my leg three times if you want me to stop."

Half way… That's all I managed to get in her mouth before she gagged. Though the vibrations of her choking felt fantastic, I still feared for her. On instinct, I pulled away, but she wrapped her arms around my waist to prevent me from moving. A pleading look in her eyes left only one clear message, one implorment mustered through a gagged expression.

_Do it._

"I'm sorry."

Whatever restraint I used to hold me back was released. My fingers grabbed her by the hair and locked her head in place. A flash of panic appeared in her eyes. Any and all caution was thrown out the window as I thrust my hips forward. Then again. And again. Before long, I found myself slamming my cock down her throat without mercy.

Silena choked and spluttered, her tongue trying to lick my shaft in vain, though it did provide a moist cushion for my balls to smack against with every thrust. Her eyes rolled up once again, revealing only her scleras to blankly stare out at nothing. Her hands gripped my thighs, driving her nails into the skin, forcing faster thrusts out of me like a stallion kicked with spurred boots.

My throbbing shaft vanished down her gullet with brutal force, bashing in her tonsils as she weakly sucked whatever she could. Drool ran down the sides of her mouth, lubricating me, and allowing me to press further and further until every inch of my cock was buried in her throat. As before, she made no effort to stop me. No effort to hold me back or prevent the brutalization.

Terrible images of how much pain she must be in punctuated every thought as I pounded into her tight throat. Her reasons for wanting this treatment scared me. What if this wasn't enough? What if she actually makes me do something to hurt her?

But then there was the pleasure. Oh, how her muscles constricted around me. Her hot, wet throat massaged me as she swallowed nothing but her own slobber and my precum. Every convulsion, every twitch, every gag sent forth waves of euphoria up my spine, frying my brain's half hearted attempts to slow down and let her breathe.

Only when her eyes gave the illusion of her being unconscious did I pull away. She coughed and spluttered, spraying small bits of drool and precum into the sheets in front of her. Tears ran down her lidded eyes as she gasped for air, but her smile indicated something quite different than a hate for my actions.

"Now fuck me like the whore I am."

Hindsight really is a bitch. If I took even a few seconds to register the falsity of her words, I would have restrained myself. Instead, I screwed up and let the pent up lust from going so long without a climax get the best of me and turn her into the very thing she claimed to be.

"Hands and knees."

She complied and turned around without a word, taking her time to tease me with sauntering hip sways as her voluptuous ass came closer and closer. Her feet hung over the bed, allowing me to mount her all the easier.

I pulled myself into position, locking my grip on her hips as I positioned myself in front of her soaked slit. Just as my tip brushed her folds, I turned my attention to her head. My fingers curled into her silky black locks, taking her hair into my grip until her head was pulled back with it.

She hunched, but made no effort to pull away. Rather, she pushed her hips back, forcing her wet curtain to part and envelope me in her warm embrace. If I could describe her insides with one word; soft. Of course, many before her were soft, but not to this extent. Her vaginal canal wrapped around me like a fleece blanket. Warm, wet, and tight, but so velvety, every thrust seemed to mold her insides to the shape of the new intruder.

I withheld a groan as my own eyes rolled up. Torn between the sides of enjoying the tenderness of her wet pussy, which spent the better part of two to three hours warming up for me, or ravaging her insides, ensuring her insides remembered the phallus they belong to. Taking her request into account, guess which side won…

With my grip tightening in her hair, I pulled her head back as I leaned forward to press my lips against her ear. My hips pulled back, taking time to allow every ridge of her insides to pull me back in, but never succeeding.

"Be careful what you wish for."

_SLAM!_

Resolute and steadfast, I thrust my hips forward, wrapping my free arm around her small waist. Heart racing and breath's growing heavier, I knew I wouldn't last long inside of her. Therefore, I needed a way to finish her hard and fast. My free hand trailed down to play with her swollen and throbbing clit, earning a squeal from the beautiful girl in the process.

I continued my assault on the girl, slamming my pelvis against her bouncing ass cheeks while rapidly circling her clit with my fingers. Slapping sounds echoed throughout the room as I pummeled her into submission. Every thrust was met with an enthusiastic squeal or yelp as she shoved her ass back to meet me. I yanked her hair, forcing her to arch her back and cry out as her back was forced to flex in ways previously unknown to her.

"Oh, fuck, Percy!"

Through strangled moans and seraphic cries to Olympus above, she screamed my name. A mantra lost in the throes of pleasure as I barreled into her. Every slam molding her sweet pussy to the shape of me. Every thrust met with a fresh spurt of juices colliding with my stomach and thighs. For too long she went without an orgasm. It seems she overcompensated with what appeared to be an endless stream of them.

"I can't… I can't… get enough!... I can't take anymore!... It hurts too good!"

My assault on her brutalized pussy continued. Every slam bringing me closer to the edge as her delicious cunt squelched around me. Like a lover who kisses their attacker, her soft folds bent to my will, sucking me in and pushing me out simultaneously. Only when I felt the brink of my own release did I change my assault to slow hard thrusts.

"Oh! Oh! Ah!"

She met every thrust with one of her own, driving her hips back to meet the throbbing cock that brutalized her. I released her hair and pressed down on her shoulder blades, forcing her face into the mattress to muffle any further screams. It appears my move proved wise as her next release seemed to be just big enough to finish us both.

"MMMMFFFFF!"

Through my drunken haze, I almost failed to remain conscious. My release, borderline painful, ripped through us both. Hot strings of pearly cum shot deep into her womb as she contracted around me, spraying me with her juices like a lewd fountain.

For a few moments, we both remained motionless. Too tired to move. Too tired to think. We remained their, defeated by the very lust which brought us together. Throbbing and pulsing, my cock remained buried inside of her soft pussy, which quivered from the recent activities. My balls ached from the endless slapping against her vulva.

When the moment passed, we both collapsed onto the bed. Silena regained just enough will to cuddle up to me as I pulled her towards the head of the bed. She rested her sweaty head against my chest, panting short breaths as she attempted to grasp her mind around the recent events. I, too, gasped for air, desperate to catch up on the oxygen expended from the past half hour.

As we both settled in, our breathing steadied. Silena's fingers curled around my sides as she cried happy tears into my chest.

"Thank you," she said, looking up to me, "for making my first time memorable."

… _Oh, shit… _

"Wait, your _first time!?_"

She nodded with teary eyes, but her smile never wavered.

"Charlie and I never went this far. Not even close. He was so sweet, but he carried much more traditionalistic views."

"But I could have—"

"That's my punishment. Not to make love with a caring giver, but to be fucked like a street whore in an alleyway."

"That's not right. If I knew it was your first time—"

"I know you would have been more careful. I know you would have taken care of me and been a gentle lover. Trust me, while I definitely want to give this another go in the future, I needed you to do this. To treat me like scum. And despite everything, I still don't think I can trust anyone as much as you."

"Silena…"

I wiped away the tears on her face and pressed a kiss on her nose. For the next few minutes, I cared for her, running my hands through her hair, rubbing her soft back, kissing her shoulder. Though she argued for me to leave without the aftercare, I couldn't bring myself to be so cruel. She deserved it.

"You really are too nice for your own good."

She moaned and mewled as I kissed her neck, rubbing my hands over her soft belly. Her heavy breasts heaved with each breath she took. I couldn't resist, putting them in my mouth for a few minutes.

"Oh!"

I pulled off with a pop.

"If and when the time comes for us to do this again, I refuse to be rough with you. You need to see the tender side of sex for yourself. Also—" I palmed the underside of one of her breasts "—you can guarantee I'll be playing with these more."

She giggled. "You like them?"

"I love them. I love everyone here. You included. So, please, forgive yourself, and move forward. I can't bring myself to push myself on you this harshly again."

She grumbled to herself for a few seconds.

"... Okay. But I wasn't lying about being a bit of a masochist."

"If this was your first time, how would you know that?"

"I didn't… until a few hours ago."

She offered a playful smile and kissed me. Sweet and simple. No tongue. No harsh passion. Just an affectionate kiss, like between two friends reuniting after too long of a separation.

"While I would love for you to stay in bed with me, I'm sure you have somewhere else to be. Plus I still need to take a shower, and something tells me I would learn more about the 'tender side of sex' if I invited you with me."

I grinned. "You know me too well. Alright, I'll get going. Just please take care of yourself. By the way… How bad does it hurt?"

"I'm sore," she said with a shrug. "But I won't lie when I say I like it. And the fact you actually show any concern at all makes me want to take you for another round, but I don't have the energy for that."

"Alright, alright. I was just worried."

"I know." She pecked me on the lips once again. "But you have more important things to deal with. So go ahead and get going."

I returned her kiss with one of my own before climbing out of bed. For a few minutes, I struggled to keep my balance. Getting dressed was a nightmare, much to Silena's amusement. She seemed to enjoy the fact that her clothes were still off, taking extra effort to maintain a seductive pose as I clothed myself. When I was good and ready, I offered Silena a goodnight, to which she blew me a kiss as I walked out the door.

My legs still throbbed from the activities, as did two dangling orbs between my legs. For a few moments, I collected myself. When I heard the shower turn on in Silena's bathroom, I decided on replenishing my strength the best way I knew how.

"I need a drink."

* * *

**A/N - … So I may have gotten a little carried away. I didn't intend for the chapter to be this long, but I couldn't find myself making it shorter. Trust me, I tried. This is my fourth version of this chapter. Each of the four have different ways in which Percy interacts with Silena, but I found this to be the best balance. Disciplinary and gentle all at once. In my first version, Percy overdid it with the wax and severely hurt her, but I couldn't bring myself to go that far and leave it.**

**Let this be your public service announcement of the day. When utilizing temperature play, _be careful!_ Check the temperature of the ice and make sure it isn't dry. The same can be said for hot wax. Use soft wax (massage therapy candles work best). _Stay away from beeswax!_ You've been warned.**

**I appreciate how patient everyone has been. It's been nearly two weeks since my last update, and yet not one person has come asking for one. You've trusted me, and for that, I thank you. I honestly hope this chapter was worth the wait.**

**On to the challenge. For the few who took it seriously, thank you. For those who didn't, thank you for giving me a good laugh. However, not one person came even close to getting them all correctly. The two closest are SinfulTurtle and avidwriter99. As for the information:**

**Age - 19**

**Ethnicity - I'm a serious mutt. Mexican, Spanish, German, Dutch, Filipino, and Cherokee to name a few; because that isn't confusing. On the plus side, I've been told I can make a very convincing Percy Jackson if I let my hair grow out and wear my CHB tee shirt. Just wish my eyes were sea green and not hazel green...**

**Myers and Briggs Personality - INFP**

**Favorite Color - Silver**

**Education Level - Give me two more credits, and I'll be a senior in college. Working my way towards a zoology degree.**

**Zodiac Sign - Capriquarius (Capricorn and Aquarius cusp)**

**I realize many of these would be next to impossible to answer, but I couldn't think of another way to occupy you guys while I was busy with this chapter. Once again, I thank you for your patience, but it looks like the Hall of Fame won't be going up for now.**

**So what were your thoughts on the chapter? In all of my time reading Fanfiction, I've never seen someone utilize temperature play. The closest is when Khione and Leo get together, but it's normally because they cancel each other out. So I hope I gave you guys something you've never seen before. If not, at least I tried.**

**Let me tell you, with all of the work put into this, I'm pretty sure I've burned myself out. For a solid two hours, I stared at my screen, knowing what I wanted to put, but I couldn't bring myself to write it. I'm guessing I over exhausted myself, but on the plus side, I've finished covering shifts for all of my coworkers. I'm not sure when I'll have my next chapter out (you won't want to miss it when I do), but I'll try my best to keep it under a week this time. First things first, I need to rest. I hope you guys can understand.**

**I'm not normally a fan of doing this, but I want to give a shoutout to flashlan, who came to me to edit his story that he's currently starting. Go and show him some love, because he has a special treat for you guys when he gets his next update out. I hope I can inspire more people to take up writing. There honestly isn't a better feeling than knowing you're an inspiration. It is a truly humbling experience. Good luck to you, flashlan. I hope you do well.**

**That will bring this chapter to a close. I hope you guys enjoyed what I had to offer. Leave a review about what you liked or didn't like. Heck, ask me for more personal info if you want (you ask for my credit card or social security number, I will find you... Not really, but please keep it reasonable). Given my deteriorating social circle after high school, I wouldn't mind getting to know everyone on here. At least you already know I'm a bit of a perve… I blame my dad. As always, this is Ronin signing off.**


	31. Total Collapse of Wisdom's Daughter

Total Collapse of Wisdom's Daughter

In all honesty, I should have seen this night coming. The signs were clear. The evidence plastered all over for days now. Yet, despite the undeniable, terrible truth staring me in the face, I couldn't see it coming. Just another shortsighted moment by the great Percy Jackson…

Thirst became a bit of an issue during the day. But, when you consider the outcomes, such as a nice little "treat" from Calypso, I can't say I'm complaining. Hours later, here I was, yet again, getting a drink to re-energize myself.

Funnily enough, immediately following my quest to get some water, I detected the smell of… fire?

_That's right!_

In a fairly sized lounging area near the pool, Piper and Calypso sat around a makeshift fire pit. Both chatted, taking in the heat, but taking extra care not to inhale the fumes. If the boxes of the flaming foundation were anything to go by, it was probably for the best.

"So, was burning Drew's makeup as fun as you thought it would be?"

Piper turned from her conversation. "You have no idea. Come on, grab a seat."

I did as asked and joined their conversation. Unbeknownst to me before then, Piper actually packed quite a punch with her singing voice. She and Calypso both discussed various practices and exercises to better train the voice. I listened in and enjoyed the literal music as they attempted to one-up each other in a playful competition.

Of course, they both had different uses. Calypso's voice had thousands of years of magical practice, and so she could manage miracles, from plant growth to a small degree of water control. Piper, however, could drown out any thoughts with what I can only describe as an ethereally feminine, but powerfully controlled voice. Every thought of mine turned to "_Do anything she asks me to_," and "_Let me hear more_."

Following their session, and a round of applause from me, both put on a mournful expression. With weary eyes and strained lips, Calypso outstretched her hand to me from across the fire. Piper hung her head low, appearing far more drained than any days in recent memory.

"What's wrong?" I asked, taking Calypso's hand into my own as I sat next to her.

Piper lifted her head with a single red line staining her face, trailing from the inner edge of her eye, over her slender cheekbone, and off her sharp jaw.

"It's best you see for yourself..."

Both girls led me to my room. Silent as a stilled lake, each took one of my hands for their own. Calypso's, still and somber; Piper's, nervous and fidgety.

"We..." Piper said, "We tried talking to her, but…"

"You guys are scaring me with this ambiguity. What happened?"

Piper pulled a dagger, not her own, from her belt. Its silvery shine forced a wince from me. Familiar aches in my chest throbbed in memory of the blade's previous uses.

"Did she attack you guys?!"

"N- no… well. Sort of, but she missed. She didn't hurt us."

An internal battle waged as they brought me closer. A part of me wanted to shake them off and rush to Annabeth. Another wanted to turn around and run away from everything; the drama, the heartache, the pain… And yet, even with every instinct telling me to be somewhere else, I followed.

The door to my room was marked with a single gash in the wood. No more than two inches long. With the dagger in Piper's hand, I began to realize Piper never took the blade from Annabeth. In a manner of speaking, Annabeth gave it to her.

Upon reaching the door, Piper's hand drifted to the knob but never turned it. She shook in place as a fresh shower of tears trickled from her face.

Calypso looked no better. Her face seemed caught in everlasting anguish. A small frown with downturned eyebrows. Weary. Listless.

"Please, help her," Piper said.

She turned the doorknob and let it open on its own. Without another word, she sat down on the opposite side of the hallway and buried her face in her hands. Calypso moved to comfort her, but her failures outnumbered her successes.

I stepped through the doorway and into the room, closing the door behind me. Upon first glance, the room looked empty. With the exception of tousled bed covers and desk chair in the lounging area, nothing looked out of the ordinary.

_Sniff._

Doing a full three-sixty of the room, I attempted to hone in on the sound.

_Sniff._

It seemed to come from a far corner, opposite of where I stood in the room, passed the lounging area.

_Hic._

My heart dropped as I approached. Huddled in the corner, Annabeth sat with water dripping out of her hair. Eyes unfocused and bloodshot, she turned to regard me with an unfamiliar smile.

"The Hero of Olympus returned! All hail, Percy Johnson!" A hiccup punctuated her voice halfway through her praise.

She pumped her arm in the air, presenting me with a duality of horrors. In her hand, she held a near-empty wine bottle, a swallow, at most, remaining. On her arm… oh, her arm…

A myriad of red lines traced across her forearm, lining up far too close to her veins and arteries for comfort. The sight alone made me gag. By no means was the sight unfamiliar, but given the lack of monsters and turned demigods, only one person could have done such a thing.

"Annabeth…"

Not another word left my lips as I attempted to scoop her up. She lashed out and screamed, swiping at me with the bottle.

"No! You're not getting any."

"Wise Girl, listen to me-"

"Wise Girl! I'ma good Wise Girl! But Percy doesn' like me. He slept with my best friend."

I knelt in front of her, keeping an eye on the bottle in her hand. Her breath nearly knocked me unconscious.

_If her breath is _that _strong..._

"Annabeth-"

"Shh shhh. S'okay. I slept wit' her too," she said with a goofy grin.

I realized there was no way of getting through to her. Never before had I attempted what I was about to do. But if it worked on poison and saliva, why not alcohol?

I focus on the bottle in her hand, pulling it towards me as the last swig of wine honed in on me like a magnet. Annabeth struggled to hold the bottle, her face turning red from the strain to keep her grip on it.

_CRACK!_

Not a moment after, the glass fractured in her hand, the bottom shooting towards me, the neck shredding Annabeth's palm.

"Percy?" Annabeth called, her voice now unsettlingly clear.

She examined her hand with abject horror. The shards of glass mingled with the streams of blood dripping from her forearm to her fingertips.

"What did you do?! You cut me!"

"Annabeth, I'm so-"

"How could you?! First, you bang my best friend, now you do this?!"

Her head swayed as she screamed at me, drooping at times before snapping back up.

"You know I-"

"Is it not enough for you?! Am _I_ not enough?!"

Following her outburst, she slumped forward. I rushed to catch her. Her body fell against mine, her head landing on my shoulder as her body went limp.

I focused on any water nearby. Despite me having no expectation of finding any, a ribbon of water streamed out from the bathroom, answering my call. I held the water to her arm and hand, healing the gashes and pulling out any remaining shards and discarding them in the nearby wastebasket.

"Ow!" Annabeth surged forward, smacking her forehead against mine. We both groaned out, though hers was considerably longer.

"Oh," she said, rubbing her head. "Hey, babe. How was your day?"

"We need to get you on the bed."

"Noooo!"

She pulled away from my grip as I picked her up, taking a fighting stance with balled fists.

"I'm not getting in that bed after you banged Silena in it! This is _my_ bed! Go find your own!"

I frowned. "But I didn't—"

She lunged forward and tackled me to the bed.

"_No more!_ I love you and I don't want you to get hurt! So stop it!"

"That doesn't make-"

"It's always another girl!" she screamed with a punch to my shoulder.

"Annabeth!"

"It's always another girl! It's always another girl! It's always another girl!"

Her screams repeated as she buried her face in my chest, pounding her fists against my shoulders. Over time, her blubbering faded to mumbles; her pounding turned to exhausted taps.

I tilted her head up and looked her in the eyes. Bloodshot and dilated, she stared back at me with tears streaming from her face.

"I don't know what I'm thinking anymore," she croaked. "My head's all over the place!"

Her sobs echoed throughout the room as I attempted to quiet her down. I rubbed my hand in small circles on her back as her tears soaked my shirt."I love you, Sea—"

A single wave of convulsion passed through her body. Then another. And another. Before I pieced together why, Annabeth opened her mouth and let loose a torrent of chunky, light brown… you know what, I won't go any further…

"Annabeth!"

Paying no attention to the burning sensation plastered all over my chest, nor the horrid smell, I scooped up Annabeth and rushed her to the bathroom. She offered no resistance beyond a halfhearted grunt from bouncing with each step. Upon arriving, I settled her down over the toilet and threw open the lid. Not too long after, a fresh stream of alcohol and… other things spewed from her mouth.

Rubbing my neck, I turned my attention to give her a bath. One look at the tub and I couldn't even describe my panic.

Red… red everywhere. I should have figured out what the smell of iron was long before, but it never clicked. But looking in the tub… It looked like she spilled several bottles of wine and decided to take a bath in it, splashing around and everything. Of course… it wasn't wine… I didn't even want to think about how close she was to the brink of death.

Taking one last look at Annabeth, I knew she wasn't moving anytime soon as she wretched and hacked. Seconds later, I opened the bedroom door to find Piper and Calypso still sitting against the wall with worried expressions.

"I need your help."

Piper jumped to her feet, Calypso slowly followed. I turned around without further explanation, even with Piper demanding to know why vomit covered my chest. The moment we stepped into the bathroom, Piper gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Oh, Annabeth…"

"I need you guys to help me clean her up. I'll… I'll take care of the tub…"

"Why would she—"

"I don't know. And she's in no condition to tell us."

Silence crept into the room as everyone carried out a different task. I thoroughly washed out the tub of any and all traces of blood. Piper sang songs and whispered comforting words to Annabeth, calming her enough to shower her. Calypso collected both of our clothes to have them washed and did the same with the bed coverings.

So many opportunities there were for a potentially… enjoyable night. Yet not one moment passed in which I wished for a single one. Whether it was to join Piper and Annabeth in the shower. Or pull them into the bath with me. Or follow Calypso as she washed the clothes. Not one. I wished only for the night in which this didn't happen.

_How could I be so blind? She was practically screaming for help, yet here I was getting my dick wet…_

I suppose the situation answered my question about what she was holding in her bag. Not a laptop. Not some new book. No. She brought alcohol. Olympian caliber alcohol… But how? How did she get it? Who was her supplier? Why would they give it to her?

With so many unanswered questions roaming through my head, I failed to notice Piper walking Annabeth out of the bathroom.

"Could you give me a hand? She's not as light as she looks."

I turned and gave a halfhearted smile as I approached. "It's all those core exercises. They've worked wonders over the years."

"I can tell. But for now, let's stop admiring your girlfriend's physique and get her on the bed."

"Yeah… Yeah, sorry. Just trying to… distract myself."

Piper sighed. "I know. Look, everything will be okay. We just have to get through this night."

"But it's not just _this_ night," I said as we laid Annabeth on the bed. "Every night after this, I have to worry. Every time she goes to Olympus, I have to worry about what she brings back."

"I will accompany her if that's what must be done."

I turned to see Calypso returning from the laundry run.

"But you can't leave without me."

"Is that so? I don't recall a wedding between you and Annabeth, nor an explicit declaration of making her your headmistress. Unless I'm spending too much time in the gardens or at my loom, I would argue that a future wife holds just as much authority, and the same rights, as a current one."

"Are… are you… You know what? No. I can't take that risk. One wrong move and you _will_ fade. I can't… I can't…"

Something broke inside of me. I collapsed on the side of the bed, pressing my fingers to my eyes as I let the flurry of emotions get the better of me. From the issues with Khione to Reyna to Annabeth; now to the prospect of Calypso fading just so she can keep an eye on Annabeth. Despite my efforts to fight back the tears, a few managed to escape. I attempted to control them. Hide them. But my thoughts were too muddied, too incoherent to control anything.

Piper and Calypso sat to either side of me, rubbing my shoulders and offering soft words to calm me down. When that failed, both turned to the skill they seemingly knew best. Singing. As for the name of the song, I don't know. It seemed melancholy. Gentle. A song of hoping against all hopes. If ever the time came where I found myself six feet under, let them be the ones to sing at my funeral.

The thought of my burial snapped me out of my mood. _No. I can't die. Like Piper said. I have people to live for. There are others who need me._

With a shaky breath, I pulled both girls in for a hug. They returned it with affectionate, though dainty, gestures. Be it circling a finger on my back or nuzzling my neck, both made their love clear.

I pulled away and turned to Annabeth. Resting with her head tilted away, Annabeth lied without a sound. So peaceful. So different from a mere hour prior.

"If you two want to go to bed, you can. I'll stay here and keep watch over her."

Piper glared at me with an unforeseen ferocity. "What makes you think I'll abandon two of my best friends in their time of need? I'm not going anywhere." Her gaze softened. "At the very least, we can take shifts watching her."

"I agree," Calypso said. "I have my share of the blame for this. It's only fair of me to stay and watch over her."

"You don't— Thanks, guys. Seriously. I couldn't ask for better wives."

Calypso offered a gentle smile. Piper blushed at my words with a somewhat shocked expression. At that moment, I realized that prior to this, I never offered her to be my wife.

"Um," I coughed. "That is of course… you know… if you want it. Because if not, I—"

Piper silenced me in the most effective manner possible. A kiss. No passion. No ferocity. No lust. Just a simple, sweet kiss that melted my brain.

She pulled away with a teary smile on her face as her red cheeks returned to their normal color. "Yes. I would love to be your wife. But your timing couldn't be any worse."

Though muddied, my thoughts cleared enough to bring forward a single question. "If you guys knew about this, why didn't you come to get me earlier? And why sit around the fire?"

Piper wiped a tear from her eye. "We didn't realize how bad it was. She chucked her knife at us while screaming before we saw everything."

"It doesn't help that I can feel a type of presence over her. Much like from before. So I believed her words weren't her own."

"You knew before, didn't you?"

Calypso dropped her head. "I suspected. Before now, I wasn't sure, but the magic on her is strong."

"Can you break it? Or Piper, like when you snapped me out of jumping you in the shower."

Both shook their heads.

"All I did was influence you to calm your hormones. This is quite a bit more extreme than that."

Calypso chimed in. "And this type of emotional magic, I have no expertise in. I can identify it, but unraveling it is another matter entirely."

My fists tightened, drawing Piper's attention as she stroked my arm. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

Calypso paused, deep in thought. "Perhaps telling her of the magic could help. If she is aware of it, she may have a greater degree of control over herself. But for right now, I don't know any permanent method of keeping this away. I'm sorry."

Her head fell as a fresh stream of tears rolled down her cheeks. On instinct, I pulled her in for a hug, to which she returned with a tight grip. Piper watched as I calmed her, squeezing my hand as I did.

We pulled away, and my gaze fell on Annabeth. "I'll take the first watch. We'll rotate every hour."

Both girls agreed and took up makeshift sleeping spots on the bean bag chairs. I rested close to Annabeth, taking in her lemon scent. The smell of alcohol lingered, but nowhere near as potent as before. Her gentle breaths warmed my collarbone.

Hoping against all hope, I found myself praying to the Olympians. I don't know which one in particular. My dad, Athena, Hestia… maybe even Zeus himself… Desperation set in as I watched over Annabeth.

_No more. I'm here for you._

Sleep was sparse during the night. The two-hour gaps between my shifts were often filled with panicked thoughts and silent prayers. Watching over Annabeth offered no comfort. Every second was spent with my eyes locked on her. Occasionally, I could hear the distant sound of a toilet flushing or dishes being washed, surefire signs of the nymphs' never-ending labor. For a brief second, I could hear the subtle ringing of metal against the tile.

When morning rays pierced the windows, a single groan echoed through the room. I looked down to see Annabeth shifting, eyes squinted, and cursing the light.

"Turn the light off," she grumbled, burying her head under the covers.

I followed her, tucking my head beneath the sheets and wrapping my arm around her. She stiffened on contact, taking in a sharp breath as my fingers touched her.

"Percy?" Her voice barely reached my ears. So quiet. So shaky.

"I'm here, Annabeth."

Not a second passed before she launched herself forward, knocking us both out of the bed. Tears flooded from her eyes as she sobbed into my neck. Her hands gripped my thin nightshirt, threatening to tear the fabric. She heaved and spluttered as she let out her cries.

Piper and Calypso stirred from their slumber, disoriented and startled by the sudden outburst of noise.

"Wha… Annie?"

Piper jumped from her chair and slid across the floor to hug Annabeth.

"Don't you _ever_ scare us like that again."

"I'm sorry!" Annabeth sobbed "I don't know what I was thinking. It's like my head was wrung through a taffy puller."

No further words were said. At some point, Calypso joined the group. Not by becoming the fourth member of the group hug, but by rubbing her hand along the back of Annabeth's head.

"Percy, I—"

"Shhh. Just rest for now. You don't have to say anything."

Annabeth glared at me with bleary eyes. "_Yes_, I do!"

Her eyes rolled up and she slumped forward, her head landing right on my sternum.

"She's got a hangover," Piper said. "I'll be right back."

She took off, leaving the room and running down the hallway, her footsteps smacking against the abalone tiles.

Calypso and I pulled Annabeth back to the bed. She groaned and griped about the light and her migraines, but for the moment, there was nothing I could do. After all, there was no wound to heal. I couldn't help her any more than I could help someone with a cold. Injuries and illnesses operate on completely different spectrums. At best, I was able to offer her some water to drink when she complained about being thirsty.

Piper returned with a tall glass in hand. Inside was a thick, pale yellow liquid. The color reminded me of the candle wax from the night before. Not something I want to think about when my girlfriend is suffering from a hangover. She brought the glass to Annabeth and forced her to sip it through a straw.

"Banana smoothie with honey," Piper said. "Perfect hangover remedy."

I raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly did you know about that?"

Her expression turned sour. "My dad's a movie star. Do you honestly think I never had to do this for him after a night of clubbing?"

I refrained from asking any more.

A few sips later, and Annabeth's groaning went silent. Before long, she drained the entire glass.

"Thank you," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Her eyes met mine. No longer bloodshot from the night before, but no less glassy. "I… I really owe you an apology…"

"This is nothing about apologizing. Just please don't do this again."

"Not this… I mean a couple of nights ago…"

"Oh… Annabeth, it's okay—"

"_No, it's not!_ Percy, I _raped_ you! I don't know why or how or what I was thinking. Yes, I wanted you in bed, but… but I…" She buried her face in her hands, blurring her last words with her sobs. "I'm so sorry!"

I reached forward to hold her but halted halfway. A small part of me still harbored some resentment for what she did. I didn't want to let it win over me, but...

"Anything you want to do to me… _anything_, you have my permission."

"No." I wrapped my arm around her and took her hand into my own. "This isn't about getting even. Hades, it may not even be your fault."

"No, it's not. But I can't… Wait… What are you talking about?"

"You haven't been around much these past few days."

I turned to Calypso, who took off from there. She explained the situation regarding an outside source of magic manipulating our thoughts and actions. Piper and I chimed in, discussing our encounter with Khione, to which I added on about my second encounter, and how I snapped after one sentence from her. Lastly, I told her about my dreams while in New York. Even Piper looked on with a renewed interest, having never heard this side of the story before.

"Well, that does it," Annabeth sniffled. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"Well, at first it was because my mom was there. After that… Well…"

"Right… I owe Palírroia an apology after the way I behaved."

"... Yeah… She didn't take it well."

Piper rubbed Annabeth's arm as I hugged her close. "But it wasn't you. That's the good part."

Annabeth shook her head angrily. "You don't get it. It _was_ me. Or at least some part of me. I was so scared… so scared of losing you. Yet here I went pushing you away. Whoever did this… they wouldn't have been able to do it if I didn't already have the urge to do it already."

I withdrew my hand from her shoulder. "So you _did_ have the urge to… well…"

She looked on with a miserable expression. "I guess I did. Some small part of me, at least. I would never have acted on it, but…"

"Yeah. I get it. You already told me why."

"Percy, I can't expect your forgiveness. Or anyone's for that mat—"

Just as Piper had only hours before, I silenced her with the best way I knew how; by allowing my lips to fall upon hers. She took a sharp breath with her eyes wide. As tears streamed down her face, she returned the kiss with a great exhale through her nose. Her shoulders relaxed and her fingers tugged at my shirt.

I pulled away and pressed my forehead to hers. "You don't have to ask for it. You already have it."

Her shoulders relaxed and her head tilted as a strained smile of relief stretched across her face. "Gods, I love you, Seaweed Brain. But you are too nice for your own good."

I cracked a smile. "And you're too good to be nice."

"I guess so."

"... You know, while there's all of this forgiveness going around…"

Annabeth and I turned to Calypso, who shifted around, not quite meeting Annabeth's gaze.

"What's there to forgive?" Annabeth asked.

"I toyed with you. I cursed you. I played at your pride to make myself seem like a better candidate for Percy's wife. I've done so many things I shouldn't have, all for the sake of satisfying my own desires."

Annabeth let out a breath and shared a knowing smile with me. "You're forgiven. But there's nothing wrong with a little competition to keep things entertaining."

Calypso hunched her shoulders and turned away with a cough. Piper looked on with slight amusement.

"Of course," Piper said, "there's nothing wrong with a little 'cooperation' to help someone's needs." She turned to me with a coy smile.

"What happened to not going for girls?"

"Whether I like it or not, I _do _have to share you for the rest of eternity. I suppose I can make an exception for some girls. Namely, anyone you marry."

I raised an eyebrow. "I'll keep that in mind." My attention turned to Annabeth. "How about we get you out of here and fill you up with a nice breakfast before your classes today?"

"Yes, please."

We all pulled ourselves away from the bed and made our way to the door. Annabeth stumbled, nearly face-planting on the floor.

"Or maybe we should just keep you in bed after breakfast. I don't think you're in good enough shape to go anywhere."

She groaned. "Okay. But I'm still hungry…"

"We'll get you some breakfast," Piper said. "For now, you need to rest."

Annabeth nodded and allowed us to pull her back to bed. The rest of us turned to get her breakfast and made our way to the door. Upon reaching it, I noticed a small silver disk lying on the floor.

"Huh," Piper said, "I must've missed that on my way out."

"Whose is it?" Calypso asked.

I reached down and picked up the drachma. On one side, the initials "R.E.D." spelled out. Engraved on the other side were a paintbrush and palette.

"Well," Annabeth said with a smile, "it looks like you have something else lined up for breakfast. Get going."

I raised my eyebrows. "Are you serious?"

She offered a tired smile. "Absolutely. Go show her a good time."

**A/N - _Finally, _the conflict with Annabeth is given some resolve! To everyone who wanted to see Annabeth demoted and/or punished for her actions in the previous chapters, I hope this holds some sway. After all, I may not be a very big Percabeth supporter, but I won't outright sabotage their relationship. Not yet at least; especially in this kind of story.**

**As for why it took so long, I've faced some complications. From rewriting this chapter like three or four times to facing a now blue screened laptop (I'm currently writing this on my phone), and the troubles only begin. I wanted this chapter out this time yesterday, but a nice case of heat exhaustion (courtesy of spending a good portion of the day in 103 degree weather) left me bedridden for a few hours. To give you guys an idea, I got off of work about two hours ago. That's how desperate I've been to get this chapter out. Even at one in the morning, after my laptop craps itself, I'm still trying to get this chapter out.**

**This being said. I'm implementing a new system. Given the fact that I'm sure most of my readers go to school still (stay in school, kids), I am going to do us both a favor and post on Friday nights. This way, you don't have this story on your mind when you're in class during the week, and you can use this as a little treat. Instead of Saturday morning cartoons, you get Saturday morning smut! It's all good! Though with my laptop out of commission, I don't know how reliable these updates will be. **

**Now how about we get to an actual author's note. I hope you guys are enjoying how this story is going. Olympus knows it is both enjoyable for me to write while also being a stressful pain in the podex! I'm hoping you guys will give Annabeth some slack after this. To a degree, I found myself cackling at how much people were hating her, but it became disheartening after a while. I guess I did a little _too_ well making her behave antagonistically.**

***skip this part if you don't care about my personal interests! Dont bore yourselves!***

**Since I got one review asking me a question (as far as I can see), I'll do my best to answer. So, games and anime... That is a difficult question. Yes, and no. You see, I'm aware of how easily I can get hooked on things. Get me a good game or show to watch, and I will go nuts over it. Even if it isn't that good, I still might play or watch it as my brain melts. I get addicted easily, so I try to avoid stuff like video games and anime. Not that I've been hugely successful. On occasion, I'll slip up, but I'm pretty good about it. I'm a big time fan of RPGs and FPSs, but not a bug MMO guy. Funnily enough, my guilty pleasure (and addiction for now almost two decades) is Yugioh. As for amines, well, I don't watch T.V... Period. The last time I watched anime was several months back when I binge watched High School DxD, because I have no life and couldnt help but enjoy the over the top, corny humor (among other things. Yes I'm a pervert. Just look at my writing).**

***end of skip***

**That brings this chapter to a close. After thirty actual chapters, we still haven't passed the halfway point yet. Speaking of which, I think it might go longer than that. Just for the math, Percy has slept with nine girls (eight if you consider he hasn't actually had sex with Thŷella). By the end of this, Percy will have slept with over twenty. Just let that sink in. Then keep in mind that I have a few girls that I want to have a repeat with. Yeah. This is going to go for a _long_ time. And even when this story is all wrapped up, I still won't be done with it. After the plot is through and the resolution finished, I can still come back just to write more smut in here. **

**That's one thing that's surprised me. I've had very few suggestions in regards to what you guys want to see for sexual content. SinfulTurtle has been granted the gift of unique gags during sex scenes, but what other suggestions are there. So long as they are reasonable, I have no problems including them. If nothing else, tell me what match ups you would like to see after all of this is over. Give me the juicy details in the reviews and I will happily write them (when the time comes). If you don't have any ideas, give me some insight about why. Have I already written the scenes you want? Give me something to work with!**

**This author's note has gone on long enough. I do hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and the revelation of Annabeth's breakdown. With any luck, I'll have my laptop up and running before the next update. Otherwise, I'm going to have very sore fingers from typing on my phone. Leave a review and give me some insight about what your dirty minds want. As always, this is Ronin signing off.**


	32. Patience is a Virtue

Patience is a Virtue

Today was good so far. Nice weather, pleasant sleep (_pfft, who needs sleep?..._), and a visit with a good friend. Oh, and then there's the fact that Annabeth and I finally got back on level ground. Whoever this sorcerer is, I am going to whip them into next week and give them the Khione treatment… Okay, maybe not that far, but still.

After telling Annabeth about my plans for the day, she wished me well and kissed me settling back in bed. Oh, how great it feels to finally have some things going right. Sure, things were far from perfect, but with Annabeth back, I can start to make some real progress. For the time being, though, I had other plans to focus on. Namely, paying our oracle, and long time friend, a visit.

Even before arriving to her door, I could see the difference. Along the trim, vibrant colors splashed to and fro. Purples and greens and golds all mixed in an intricate fashion, along with colors I couldn't discern.

With a single series of knocks, I found myself staring into the wild eyes and freckled nose of Rachel Elizabeth Dare. With an oversized green tee shirt, paint splattered jeans, bare feet, and a flaming bandana, she looked halfway between going to an outdoor art exhibit or a biker rally. I wouldn't be surprised with either.

"And here I thought you wouldn't come."

"Well, little Miss Foresight, I guess not even the oracle is right all the time. So—" I held up the coin "—are you serious about—"

"We can get to that later, but for right now, I have a favor to ask."

"Um. Alright. Ask away."

She flashed me a bright smile and grabbed my wrist, yanking me into the room with her.

One look is all it took to realize just how busy Rachel was during the past few days. A massive mural stretched across the wall, each side depicting different scenes of… me. Well, me and my friends. My adventures over the years; pieces of long forgotten memories and cherished moments. From me trudging down the slopes of Half Blood Hill with Grover on my shoulder and a minotaur horn in my hand to me staunching my bleeding nose, and summoning Gaia in the process. How she could recreate them in such visceral detail, I couldn't tell you.

I scanned the walls in awe, my brain overloading from the level of detail she put into the paintings. Upon reaching the more recent events, I noticed a patch of unfinished work. It looked somewhere between a star and a splat, but the surrounding details gave way to its actual missing contents.

"So this is what you've been doing these past few days?"

Rachel shrugged. "You could say that. I need help with the last part though."

"I'm afraid to ask this, but what exactly am I doing for this last part."

She flashed me a mischievous smile. "I need you to be a model for me."

"Uh huh… And why do you need me for that? It looks like you already have my image memorized."

"I have your general figure down, sure. The same could be said for half the girls on this island… But I don't know the details of your body. Not under your shirt, anyways. And… other places."

Why did it get difficult to breathe all of the sudden?

"So you want me to pose… nude?"

"No, I want you to pose like 'the Thinker.' Yes, I want you to pose nude!"

"What happened to this being a test of willpower? You know, my 'lesson in self control?'"

She put her hands to her hips. "Do you honestly think it will be that easy? I need to see what you look like in all your glory."

The manner in which she said that unnerved me.

"Meaning?"

She licked her lips. "Full mast."

The floor seemed to shift from underneath me. Everything spun. _Is this some sick joke after what I did to Silena last night?_

"And why do you need that?"

She walked to the wall. "You see this empty patch here? Take a guess as to what it will be."

"Do I even have to?"

"Good. You already know. So now you see why I need you to be at full mast. So go ahead. Inspire me."

_It's okay, Percy. You've done this before._

_Yeah, but I haven't been put on display before…_

Taking a deep breath, I reached for the hem of my shirt and pulled it up. When it was halfway up my torso, Rachel grabbed it, pinning it in place.

"Slowly."

"You have to be kidding. Since when was this a striptease?"

She smirked, pressing out her lips in an almost amorous fashion. "Since I said so. I want some enjoyment out of this too."

"Of course you do," I said under my breath.

She waltzed over to the empty patch, pulling out a few paintbrushes to prepare. With a tilted glance back towards me, she motioned for me to continue.

I let out a sigh as I removed my shirt, moving slower so Rachel could "enjoy the view." With my shirt discarded, I kicked off my shoes and moved for my pants, taking extra care not to look in Rachel's direction.

"You don't know how to tease at all!"

I grimaced at her words. "Normally, I'm not taking my own clothes off."

"Oh, yeah? Guess things are changing, buddy. Since you won't make it enjoyable for me, at least give me a good pose to work with."

Rolling my eyes, I smirked to myself as I removed my last articles of clothing. Much to Rachel's dismay, I made no further attempt to take it slow. If she wanted me to pose nude, I would pose nude. I never came here with the intent of performing a striptease. Besides, I'm not exactly that comfortable with my own body.

"Alright, arms like this. Stick your right foot forward… Perfect."

She spent about five minutes posing me to her tastes. What shocked me most was her nonchalant approach to me being naked in front of her. Sure, a flaccid penis is nothing to gawk at, but she did just acknowledge wanting to see me like this. So, why was she so passive about it?

While making sure to be discreet, I took notice of a very particular action of Rachel's… or lack thereof. Not once did her eyes ever make contact with the organ dangling between my legs. However, despite her inaction, she refused to leave my side. With her paintbrushes and palette a long forgotten memory, she circled me like a vulture.

"Weren't you going to paint me?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. But first, I want to memorize every detail of your body. So I need to make a very thorough inspection." She grabbed a hold of my biceps, squeezing the muscle beneath her fingers.

"Mmm. It looks like I won't have to superimpose anything on here."

Of course, a no longer flaccid organ decided to tap her thigh. She looked down out of reflex, and let out a wide eyed gasp.

"And I do mean anything."

She turned her attention to me with a wicked grin.

"Remember, self control."

She squatted on the spot with her legs spread wide open. With her green eyes staring up at me with a lustful gaze, she wrapped her small fingers around the base of my cock. She squeezed a bit to gauge my reaction. Needless to say, I didn't disappoint her.

"You're going to be the death of me."

Her wicked grin never faded. "Then I'll make it one hell of a send off."

Without another word, her lips parted only to let her tongue slide out. On contact, I winced. Her nimble pink muscle wettened every inch of flesh it could touch. From small cat licks to long strokes from my scrotum to the tip, Rachel made no effort to take me into her mouth. I can't say I was complaining.

I reached forward to take her curly mane into my fingers, but to no success. The moment my hand made contact with her bandana, she retracted her tongue and slapped away my hand.

"Uh uh uhhh, no touching."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Self control, Water Boy."

Her tongue returned to my shaft through a wide open mouth, daring me, teasing me to thrust my hips forward and claim her throat for my own. She watched my every move, studying the way my muscles tensed in my restraint. With her fingers sliding up and down the lubricated length of flesh, her tongue circled the head, licking up the stray drops of precum with a satisfied moan.

Before that moment, I failed to notice the location of her other hand. Being the hypocrite she was, she buried her fingers into her unbuttoned jeans. As I attempted to call her out for it, she took my balls into her palm and squeezed them. A strangled groan escaped my throat as she took a single lick along the underside of my shaft, trailing along the single largest nerve in my penis, only to flick the underside of my head to edge me on. All of this she did with a doe eyed gaze masking the villainy of her actions.

"Fuck," I muttered through my gasping.

She pulled her hand from her pants, grabbing hold of my cock with her newly lubricated fingers. Still maintaining her squeezing, she jerked my shaft. Her mouth opened as she spilled her tongue out; her innocent stare not once breaking eye contact.

"You want to do it, don't you? You want to stuff this steamy cock down my throat and butter my tonsils with your thick, creamy load. Too bad you have to restrain yourself."

She flicked her tongue along the tip, teasing it forward. In that moment, something snapped. All restraint went out the window. A familiar animalistic lust fell on me just as it did the night before. In the mosh pit of sex crazed thoughts, a single coherent phrase came into focus.

_No more._

I surged forward, grabbing Rachel by her waist and tossing her into the bed. She yelped on contact, sitting upright and searching every direction in the room before her sight landed on me. Her panicked gaze didn't go unnoticed, but she made no effort to move, no attempt to leave my sights.

"Percy?" Her voice raised an octave. "Look, I didn't mean to go overboard with the teasing, but-"

"Oh, no. You're getting some payback."

I crawled into the bed with her. My predatory stare locked on her nervous face. Even with several feet of bedding behind her, she didn't move; frozen in my gaze like a deer in headlights.

She fell backwards as I reached her, staring up at me as she panted with semi lidded eyes. I towered over her figure, enjoying the rising and falling of her chest and the wet patch between her legs, visible even through her jeans. I leaned forward, undoing her bandana and pressing my lips to her ear.

"Remember, self control."

I pulled back with a devious grin on my face. With the roles switched, I took full control by balling up the bandana, and pressing it to her lips. Her mouth opened, taking in the ball of fabric without question. She looked at me with her eyes caught between panic and arousal.

"You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?" My voice dripped in a husky tone.

She nodded without a word, her eyes still wide as her legs quivered beneath me.

"And you wanted it to happen?"

Again, only a nod.

With all of the confirmation I needed, I leaned forward to kiss her neck. As my lips touched her light skin, she let out a breathy moan. Her hands reached forward to grab my hair, but I pinned them to the bed.

"Self control."

She whimpered in response, wrapping her legs around me in an effort to grind against my pelvis. I shook her off, earning a frustrated grunt as she lost her grip.

Taking no further chances, I pulled the bandana from her mouth and used it to tie her hands behind her back. In order to keep her comfortable, I leaned her on her side. This came with the bonus of exposing her bubbly butt to me, though a denim barrier stood between.

I crawled up behind her and ran my hands up her legs, sliding along her waist, dancing across her belly, teasing her breasts, coming to a rest around her throat. While curling most fingers around her windpipe, I moved my index finger before her lips. Not a moment later did she take it into her mouth to suck on it.

"There's a good girl." I leaned forward and took in her scent. "Is that strawberry shampoo?"

She shuddered in response, sucking faster on my finger.

"I think it's lubricated enough for now."

She whined as I pulled out my finger. All sounds silenced themselves when she felt me unbutton and unzip her jeans. Her breathing increased as I slid down the pants. The sound of the fabric pulling away from her dewy crotch and rolling down her legs fell short of the sharp gasps and pants as Rachel shivered from the exposure.

With her pants discarded and laying on the floor, I crawled behind her once again, returning my hand to her milky leg as she shivered under my touch. As my fingers approached her dripping core, she let out only a single word.

"Wait."

I froze on the spot, taking her words with all of the seriousness of a train wreck (and I've been in one). I shifted myself to look her in the eyes as she bit her lip.

"Yes?"

She flicked her gaze from my hand to my face, staring at me with her dazzling green eyes. Her jaw set as she relaxed her shoulders.

"Fuck it."

She lurched forward and crashed her lips into mine. Not a second passed before I returned the favor, meeting her flighty tongue with my own.

My hand resumed its journey, creeping closer to her nether regions as she bucked her hips in barely contained excitement.

"Self control," I said into the kiss.

She groaned. "You're mean."

I smiled as I sucked on her bottom lip. "You have no idea."

My hand slipped beneath the thin fabric of her green panties, brushing a finger over her swollen clit as I reached for deeper into her smooth cunt.

A high pitched whine left Rachel's throat as I toyed with her. Every action of hers seemed to melt to my will. From the way she arched her back to the spreading of her legs, everything she did only made her more subservient.

"You suck," she said as she pulled away from the kiss.

I smiled a devious smile. "I'll suck and nibble on that little clit of yours as long as you keep making those cute noises."

She looked back with a shocked expression. Moments later, she buried her head into the crook of my neck in an effort to stifle her moans. Though her actions seemed to show reluctance, her bucking hips told me otherwise.

"Would you like that?" I whispered into her ear.

A few seconds passed.

"Yes, please," she replied in a timid voice.

"Gladly." I nibbled on her earlobe before pulling away.

She whined at the loss of contact, but grunted in confusion as I undid her bonds. Rubbing her wrists with a bashful expression, she scooted herself towards the head of the bed until she rested comfortably on a pillow.

I crawled up to her once again, taking the hem of her panties into my fingers while eyeing her every movement. She lifted her hips, allowing me to slide the green fabric down her legs with ease. While parting her legs, I took in a whiff of her musk.

She was the one and only mortal I would ever sleep with. No special powers or godly ties. Her scent reflected that. Many would describe the smell of a vagina like a sweaty fish (because that makes sense). If only they knew a fresh and healthy pussy could smell so much milder and sweeter, though with a slightly sour undertone. Though I can't deny how much I loved burying my face in Piper's fragrant pussy (I would argue hers was my favorite) or Annabeth's honeyed cunt, I would always save a special place for the one mortal pussy on the island.

Rachel watched me with a nervous gaze as I inched forward, eyes rolling up as I took in her musty scent. Taking notice of her hand up her shirt, I decided to ensure we both stood on level ground.

"Take it off."

Rachel froze for a few seconds before pulling off the green tee shirt and tossing it off of the bed. With her modest breasts exposed, she crossed her arms over her midsection as a blush crawled onto her face.

"Red."

She snapped her head in my direction as I locked her in my gaze.

"You look beautiful."

Her blush deepened, her cheeks near matching her hair. Though she was never one to care about her looks, every so often, I knew hearing those words could make her entire week. If anything, a fresh stream of fluids dripped from her pink snatch as she spread her legs wider for me.

Taking in one last whiff of her virgin musk, I inched forward and pressed my tongue into her pink folds.

"Oh."

My tongue swished along the surface, never penetrating her. I only toyed with her, teasing her until she writhed in a cacophony of pleasure induced moaning and frustrated grunts.

"You really are mean."

I smirked at the familiar statement. To prove her otherwise, I brought my lips into the mix and circled her erect clit with them. While caressing her delicate nub with my lips, I pierced her virgin pussy with a single finger. She let out a whine as I pleasured her, writhing as my finger brushed the smooth insides of her lovely cunt.

Taking things a step further, I nibbled on her clit. I remained gentle, so as not to hurt her, but I pressed down until a shrill squeak left her mouth.

"Oh, Percy!"

She arched her back as I continued rolling my tongue over the sensitive nub. As I continued, her squeak turned to a scream, signalling the beginning of her climax. Around my finger, her smooth walls rippled and contracted. A torrent of juices spilled from her depths. I massaged her pelvis with my free hand, caressing her orgasm into a gentle halt as I pulled my finger from her soaked nether lips.

As she caught her breath, my hands trailed up her torso, playfully squeezing her flanks as they raised. Upon reaching her breasts, I took the mounds into my hands and kneaded them, rolling them in a circular motion. Though they were on the smaller end of the spectrum, they still provided a nice handful of soft flesh, roughly on caliber with most of the nymphs.

On her recovery, I pulled myself forward, taking her lips into mine with a gentle kiss. I made no effort to press my tongue in her mouth, nor did I bite her lips. I wished only to relax her for the grand finale.

After coming down from her high, she reciprocated the kiss, moaning softly into my mouth. She pulled away, giving me a dizzy smile.

"You really know how to make a girl feel special."

I pecked her on the nose. "Call it experience."

I pulled away, turning her on her side, and crawled behind her. She watched me carefully, as if taking mental notes of where this was going. Her deduction led her to the obvious outcome, leading her to whimper.

"So I guess this is it. This is how the oracle loses her virginity…"

I ran my hand along her side, coming to a stop on her cheek and turning her to face me.

"We don't have to go any further if you're not ready."

For the first time I can recall, her eyes watered.

"Don't say that. Don't you dare say that. I've spent months preparing for this. I've given up so much for this. Please don't just turn away now."

In her bright green eyes, I saw an emotion I never once thought I would see before. Not on her. Vulnerability.

I pulled her in for another kiss, rubbing her flushed cheek clean of the few tears which rolled down it.

"I'll be gentle."

Rachel shook her head, whipping her mane of red hair around like a torch.

"I don't want you to be gentle. I want you to be honest. I want to know what it feels like when we both enjoy ourselves to the fullest. I'm not going to wait around for us to get to it several weeks or months or even years down the line. If I'm going to be with you, I want to be with the real you."

I stared back at her, shocked. Never before had I considered what I was like as a partner. Paul asked me before, but even then I didn't have an answer. Looking back on it, Paul joked about me being a rough guy. When you take my previous times into account, he wasn't wrong.

"Okay." I brushed my finger over her lips, to which she immediately took it into her mouth to start sucking. With all of the sucking she did, it perplexed me as to why she never sucked on… other things. "If it hurts, tell me."

She nodded her head, but kept my finger in her mouth. As I attempted to pull my hand away, she followed with her head. In the moment, I realized what she was doing. My finger was her bit of comfort. Her insurance, so to speak. If I got to rough, she only needed to clamp her teeth down to make me stop.

With that both unsettling and comforting thought out of the way, I pulled myself back and positioned my cockhead at the base of her entrance. She pressed her back to my chest and lifted her leg further. With a single glance, she voiced her simple and specific wish.

Do it.

I thrust my cock into her pussy in a single motion. So smooth and wet on the inside, like a satin sheet pulled from a warm bath.

Rachel whimpered in response, sucking harder on my finger. On reflex, my remaining fingers curled around her throat, earning a breathy moan as she exhaled through her nose.

I pulled out of her slowly, allowing inch by inch to slide out of her as her pussy tried sucking me back in. She whined as she felt the head of my dick rub her insides, threatening to pull out of her. When only the tip remained, I slammed my hips forward, driving myself hilt deep into her smooth crevice. My balls smacked against her clit, all of the sensations forcing her to let out a squeal.

I repeated this process, pulling out and slamming in. Over time, my pace increased. My grip tightened around her throat. Before long, the resounding slap, slap of skin on skin sounded throughout the room.

Rachel's whimpers and cries became my driving force. With every whimper, another thrust. With every squeak, I pulled out. Every moan of hers drove some part of my actions, and every action forced another moan. Whether I massaged her tits or kissed her shoulder, everything I did, she melted beneath. She submitted herself to my passion, taking every thrust with the utmost gratitude. She made efforts to return the affection, but I fucked her pussy too hard for her to do much.

With my finger near screaming from how hard Rachel sucked on it, I found myself in the desperate need to finish us both. My balls grew sore from slapping against her pelvis. Her quivering pussy massaged me, sucked me in deeper. I wanted nothing more than to stay buried inside of her and forget the issues of the outside world. But I couldn't. I knew if I didn't bring us to finish, I wouldn't ever leave. Not with an eternity to spare.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into her ear.

Before she could respond, my free hand trailed downwards and toyed with her clit. Pinching and rubbing it as I increased my thrusting speed, driven forward only through sheer willpower.

Rachel screamed, my finger doing nothing to muffle her. In a desperate attempt, I silenced her with my lips, swallowing her scream as she spasmed from my actions. I felt her walls contracting and rippling, preparing themselves for her climax. The same could be said for myself. My aching balls churned with semen, every ounce eager to swim in Rachel's womb.

I slammed harder, bruising our thighs in the process. My cock twitched and ached from the abuse, but I urged myself onward. I pinched her swollen clit between my thumb and forefinger while biting down on her lower lip.

Her muffled scream threatened to break free. My efforts proved too successful as she rocked her hips, her pussy spasming and shooting juices all over my dick. She grew too tight for me, milking me of my semen as I growled into her mouth. Every drop filled her, flooding her womb with enough sperm to fertilize an army of future generations.

She gasped and quivered as she felt the new warmth inside of her. The alien feeling proved blissful to her, if her cross eyed expression was anything to go by. Still, my cock throbbed and twitched, pumping more ropes of cum into her, stopping only when the churning in my balls subsided. Upon finishing, every inch of my shaft pulled out of her, the hardened shaft softening with every second.

Rachel and I rested there. Both of us needed to catch our breath. Both of us needed a shower. Both of us needed a nice long nap. Guess which of us got none of the above…

Rachel turned to me, her pussy leaking our elixir of life into the sheets. She wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight as she nuzzled my windpipe.

"Why?" she said with a hoarse voice. "Why did I ever swear off of romance? If I knew how good this felt…"

She didn't have to finish her sentence. Its meaning was clear.

I rubbed her back and played with her hair as she breathed against my neck. For a few minutes, we remained there, motionless. Only when I kissed her forehead did she look up at me with a loving smile.

"Thank you."

My thoughts could only go one way.

"Did it hurt?"

She nodded. "It did. But at the same time, it felt way too good for me to want it to stop."

I grimaced. "I told you I could be gentle."

"No." She pressed her nose into my collarbone. "You gave me exactly what I wanted." She lifted her head to look me in the eyes. "The time of my life."

I returned her smile and kissed her. In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder… what would life have been like if we did actually get together? Before all of this. Before the wars. What kind of life would we lead? How often would we have moments like this? With an eternity to spare, I knew this moment would not be one of a kind. Not if I had anything to say about it.

"Hey," I said as I rubbed her tender breast with my thumb. "You said you gave stuff up for this. What exactly did you mean? Is that what you were talking about before, when I mentioned your dad?"

She curled up into me, lacing her legs around mine.

"I know I've said this before, but I saw this coming months in advance… I spent a long time preparing for this. While everyone was bustling about, preparing for a war with the Romans, I was preparing for an immortal life of getting plowed into the sheets. Guess that says a lot about me."

"Hey, that's not fair for yourself."

"And it's not fair that the gods tossed us into this, but here we are." She dropped her head against my chest. "Look, when I found out about this, I did what I felt was necessary… I dropped out of Clarion Academy. When my dad found out, he demanded to know why. I… I tried coming up with some kind of excuse he would buy, but he saw right through every one."

I rubbed her back as she pressed herself closer to me.

"I told him the truth. I told him exactly where I would be. I explained the situation to him."

My eyes went wide. No one just tells their parents about the mythological world. And no one, no one tells their parents that they're going to spend an eternity as a sex slave.

A small sprinkling of tears hit my chest.

"He disowned me on the spot, calling me a whore and a 'disgrace to the name of Dare.'"

I curled my hand in her hair and hugged her head to my chest as she cried. For as long as I knew him, Rachel's father was never one to care for much. As long as he could profit, he was all in. Anything else…

"It didn't help he was never a big fan of you. It sucks he never see how great of a person you really are."

She looked up at me with a teary smile. I pressed my forehead to hers and sighed.

"You won't have to worry about him anymore. You're free to do whatever you want. He didn't support your painting skills. Me? I can't believe how phenomenal they are."

Rachel's smile grew as a flutter of pride showed. She pushed forward and kissed me. Again, only a tender kiss. The same kind we shared on a cliffside only a year ago.

"Off the record," she said as she pulled away, "you are a much better master and friend than Apollo could ever be."

She didn't vaporize on the spot, so I guess the god of prophecy wasn't listening… or he actually realized she had a point.

I said nothing more. I only held her, taking in her warmth as she did mine. Before long, her eyes shut as she let out a breath. Far too many issues were given to this girl at once. No mortal, or anyone else for that matter, should have to face the kind of things she did.

I rubbed her back one last time as I pulled away. A few minutes later, I stood at the head of the bed fully dressed. I tucked Rachel in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Her sleepy mumbling left a smile on my face.

I walked over to the door and gave her sleeping form a final glance.

"Sleep tight, Red."

With that, I left the room and closed her door behind me. I let out a sigh. With Rachel now… deflowered, I was officially halfway through all of the girls on the island. I hated thinking like that. Treating Rachel, or anyone, like some number. But still, the closer I came to this deadline, the closer I came to living a somewhat normal life.

As I reminisced over the simpler times, I made my way towards the dining room. Of all the issues going on, I could take solace with one thing. I was halfway there.

* * *

**A/N - Ha! If only! I know it isn't exactly morning, but there's this weird copy-paste bug that converted all of the chapter into nothing but code. Hopefully, I'll have my computer up and running before it becomes too much of an issue. Thanks for the patience.**

**So, how were your thoughts on the chapter? I know a lot of people have been looking forward to seeing Rachel get her comeuppance for being such a tease throughout the story. I kind of liked the reverse power play aspect, but that's just me. And then there's the fact that she's lost all ties with the mortal world. Oh, the horror! All joking aside, now that Percy has defiled the Oracle, what will become of her? Will she still be able to tell prophecies? I guess we'll have to find out later. Hehe.**

**In the meantime, I hope everyone is all strapped in for a trip to Texas because this is going to take quite a while. A word of warning. There might be some things getting mixed up in these upcoming chapters. I've streamlined it as much as possible, but this whole trip was never part of my original plot. With the addition of a certain goddess (you're welcome), I needed to make some last minute changes. I hope it comes out well, but we'll need to see how it pans out. I've privately been called out for one plot hole, and that was a result of this new plot. Kinda sucked, but I'll make do. It was minor, but it's become more glaring for me the more I realize it's there. I'll probably go back and change it to adjust to the new plot, but for now, I'll let it be. Still, thank you for calling me out. You know who you are.**

**Well, that brings another chapter to a close. I can say with entire honesty that my fingers hurt and my brain is fried. How do you guys text all the time? Seriously, after fifteen minutes on this, I can barely feel my fingers! Tis a secret I will never know. Leave a review and let me know how you liked Rachel's piece. As always, this is Ronin signing off.**


	33. Delayed

Okay, guys. I know this isn't the update you wanted to see, but there have been a number of unfortunate events going on this week preventing me from writing. I've been upfront about stuff going on in my life, so I don't plan on stopping now. I'd like to think I've earned your trust by this point.

Labor day aside (I think I get an excuse for not writing then), I wound up with a two day long ear ache that left me practicality debilitated. For retrospect, I only get them about once a year, and in their efforts to help me with my last one, my parents gave me permanent hearing damage. Hopefully that helps you understand the kind of pain I'm talking about.

After my recovery, I was given no notification about it, but I have to cover the vacation time for some of my coworkers. As I'm writing this, I'm at work. I'm still trying to get the next chapter written, but with everything going on, it's very slow going. I don't want you guys to panic, and I'll even try to double up on my next update to make up for it. Let's just say that _a lot_ happens in the next chapter. I want to make sure it's done right.

Don't panic. After all, I'd like to think I've been reasonable since the start. By about Wednesday morning, the next chapter should be out. Given that my work load remains heavy. If not, I hopefully will have it out before then. Thank you guys for staying patient with me. It doesn't go unnoticed. As always, this is Ronin signing off.


	34. A Conflicting Texan Arrival

A Conflicting Texan Arrival

Finding the Hunters came easy… for once. All of them sat around the dining table, each consuming their food with various amounts of enthusiasm while chatting with the few other early risers. Thalia shoveled her food in her mouth quick enough to make Tyson proud. Bianca ate at a leisurely pace. Zoë picked and nibbled at her platter, not quite in the moment. And Reyna… well, she looked worse for wear. Dark circles rimmed her eyelids and her clothes seemed hastily thrown on. Either she didn't sleep or the Hunters forced her awake too early.

I sat next to the former praetor, trying my best not to look conspicuous. Thalia shot a glance at me and smirked.

_So much for inconspicuous…_

I slid my arm around Reyna's back, taking her arm into my hand. She tensed on contact, shooting me a halfhearted glare. An instant later, her eyes fell to her lap. My hand squeezed her arm in earnest. She dragged her head to its previous position, looking at me with tired eyes.

"You doing alright?" I asked in a hushed tone.

Her eyes darted away as her shoulders sagged. "Not now. Please, let's talk a bit later. We have a busy day ahead of us."

I held her gaze for a few seconds longer, studying her regal face before nodding my head.

"Okay. Don't hesitate to come see me. If not, I'll come looking for you."

She nodded her head with as much enthusiasm as a funeral attendee.

I pulled my arm away and scanned the surrounding girls. The Hunters seemed to successfully induct Piper into their ranks, laughing and making impressions of various monsters.

"Ooh, here's Lycaon. Awoooooo, you stepped on my foot!"

Even I cracked a smile at that one.

Calypso strolled in with a massive bowl of fruit salad with a bright smile on her face. I won't deny my heart fluttered a bit seeing her, especially after everything she's helped with.

"Here you go, everyone. Eat up."

Zoë shook her head in exasperation. "Sister, this is the third serving thou hast given us. Take a few minutes to eat for thyself."

She shot me a look and offered a devious smirk. "I'm sure we both have _very _different ideas about what we want for breakfast."

Thalia almost choked on her drink. Zoë turned away with flushed cheeks.

Calypso set the bowl on the table before taking a piece of fruit and bringing it to me.

"Mandarin?" she asked, holding the orange slice to me. "I hear they're great for making certain things sweeter."

Reyna paled at Calypso's choice of words. Even further, she buried her face in her hands as I accepted Calypso's offer, giving her a sly smile as I did.

For a few minutes more, we enjoyed the breakfast. With such a lavish meal, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. For one thing, Annabeth couldn't enjoy it; for another…

"Palírroia," I called out as my head nymph passed with a tray of blue bacon.

"Yes, Master?" She turned with a bright smile. "How may I be of service?"

"Could you… could you take a tray of food down to Khione? If she doesn't eat it, go ahead and bring it back up, but I don't want to starve her if I can help it. Plus it might help mull things over after my little… outburst."

"Dammit, Kelp Head!" Apple pieces oozed from Thalia's grip as she squeezed. "I was there! I told you to stop taking blame for all of this!"

My head fell. "Doesn't mean I can't try to fix things. Look at it from her perspective. I straight up choked her out right after being nice to her."

Calypso hummed to herself, a dreamy smile affixed to her face. "Try that on me sometime."

Everyone fell silent at her remark, stunned by her boldness. I turned to Palírroia.

"Could you please make sure she's fed?"

She nodded. "Of course, Master. And if she becomes hostile?"

"Leave, protect yourself; do whatever you have to do. Your safety comes first."

Her cheeks flushed, but with another nod, she turned to carry out the task.

Katie walked in after completing the meals for those of us that were awake, and teamed up with Piper to finish the fruit salad. When all was finished, and everyone sat around with blissful smiles on their faces, Thalia took the initiative to pile up the dishes for the nymphs to carry off.

"So, Annabeth drank herself to near death? I was wondering how long she'd last before a bottle wound up in her hands."

"We don't even know where she got it. If you have any ideas, I'm all ears."

"Well, let's start with the obvious locations, or people."

"And that would be?"

"Olympus," Thalia said as if it were obvious. "Dionysus, the marketplace. Heck, maybe some minor god was trying to schmooze her with the booze."

If that statement were true, I wouldn't be sure who to worry about more, Annabeth or the minor god. Even with everything that's happened, I doubted Annabeth would ever turn to sleeping with another guy. Another girl (at least one on the island), maybe, but not another guy.

"Speaking of which, where is she."

"Resting," Calypso said while squeezing my hand. "Piper and I helped her to the best of our abilities."

Piper nodded. "I took care of her hangover, but she definitely has alcohol poisoning. Poor girl will probably need her bucket changed in a few minutes. We'll keep an eye on her while you're gone. Don't you worry."

"Okay. If you guys say so. Please keep an eye on her for me." I turned to the Hunters. "So, who's ready for a little adventure?"

* * *

_Look Boss, even _I _have limits. There's no way in Hades I can fly all of you at once._

"Can't you contact some of the others? I'll throw in some sugar cubes for them too."

Blackjack pawed the sand. _Well, yeah, but, uh… Porkpie and Guido are a little preoccupied at the moment._

"What are you… oh… _oh!_ Okay, then. Glad to know I'll have little foals flying around here in a couple months."

_They'll be the cutest little things too. Not cuter than mine… At least if I can find a mare who'll stick around…_

"Chin up. I'm sure you'll find one eventually. The best things often take a while." I looked around to the girls behind me. "Trust me. I would know."

_Sure, sure. In the meantime, think you could get Rainbow to split the load._

"Okay, just don't get yourself down too hard."

A few seconds later, Rainbow burst through the water, responding to my call.

"I'm taking Rainbow," Thalia said.

"Still not a fan of heights?" I teased.

"Shut up."

"I too would wish to take the hippocampus. I've spent enough time in the sky."

"Yeah, I think it'd be better to stay closer to the ground."

I turned to Reyna, who dropped her head in defeat. "I'll join you on the pegasus. He and I have some history."

After tossing Rainbow and Blackjack some sugar cubes, the Hunters mounted their horse of choice. It took a few minutes to calm Blackjack down from his sugar high, but a few muzzle rubs from Reyna did the trick.

I shook my head with a smile on my face. "Man, it seems like everyone can work with Blackjack better than me nowadays."

Reyna smirked. "He's a smart horse."

_She said it, not me._

I shot him a dirty look. "I guess I deserved that. Anyways, you ready to go?"

She nodded. "After you."

I climbed on, pulling Reyna after me. A part of me worried about her falling off, but she wrapped her arms around my waist, dissuading any negative thoughts from invading. As a bonus, it reassured me about having a chance to talk to her.

Blackjack and Rainbow both took off. Blackjack flew low, but stayed above the spray parting in Rainbow's wake.

"Hey, Reyna, think you're up for talking?"

A few seconds passed before she spoke. When she did, she rested her chin on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I know I haven't made things easy for you."

I nearly jerked Blackjack into the water. "What!? Reyna, I'm the one who should be apologizing! Not you!"

"Apologize for what? Preventing the others from worrying about the curse?"

"No. For ignoring you. After the night we ran into each other, I thought if I gave you some space, things would be fine. I screwed up. I should have talked to you beforehand. For that, I'm sorry."

She remained quiet for a few more seconds. "It's okay. You had your responsibilities. You still do. I won't hold that against you."

We flew without another word, trailing behind Rainbow and the Hunters. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure Reyna nuzzled my ear and sniffed my hair.

* * *

A few minutes later, the lake narrowed into a river. The humidity picked up, as did the heat. The sound of cicadas echoed across the semiarid landscape. If not for the refreshing mist flying behind Rainbow, I would have been drenched in sweat within minutes.

The equestrian duo landed on the shores of the river, allowing everyone to dismount with only slight amounts of saddle ass (ironic, given the lack of saddles). Across the river, a familiar naiad in overalls tended to the riverbank. She gave me a curt nod and continued her work.

"Well, everyone, welcome to Texas."

With a group of deadly women on my heels, I strolled along the muggy span of country plains. For a near quarter mile, I found myself looking upon familiar sights; the flesh eating mares of Diomedes, the hippalektryons, and of course, the bright red cattle of Apollo. So enthralled and engrossed with the fauna, both myself and the girls behind me failed to notice the group approaching us.

"So it seems the great Percy Jackson has left his little island. Tell me, do you wish to further wound me by thrusting my deflowered friends into my face?"

I snapped my head forward, and found a pair of angry silver eyes staring back.

"Milady?" Zoë gasped.

Artemis stood in front of me with her hunting knives drawn. Behind her, a dozen adolescent girls held their bows at the ready.

I bowed my head. "Lady Artemis! What… what brings you here?"

She snarled. "A failed proposition. I don't suppose you have come to bargain as well? To hand over my Hunters and walk free?"

Thalia stepped forward. "Milady, you know he can't—"

"That changes nothing!" Tears of fury burned down Artemis's cheeks. "I want my friends back! I want my sisters back!"

My shoulders sagged.

_So that's what this is about…_

"Artemis, please—"

"No! I'll hear none of it! I once held you in high regards, Perseus. Now, you have become the very scum I strive to wipe from this world!"

Thalia gripped her spear as I stared back in abject horror.

"But I didn't—"

"We're still maidens!" Bianca interjected. "Percy hasn't laid a finger on us."

Artemis faltered. "Is… is this true?"

Everyone nodded their heads.

Artemis's glare turned to Reyna. "And what of this one? Has the former praetor dropped to her knees before you yet?"

I stepped in front of Reyna. "You leave her out of this."

The frown lines in Artemis's brow deepened. "So she has. Comes as no surprise. Only a whore would-"

"No she hasn't! And I said _leave her out of this!_"

Artemis turned to me as if I slapped her. "You dare to raise your voice at me, _boy?_"

She tightened her grip on her knives. I braced myself to wind up about ten inches shorter... starting at the neck.

A hand pressed to my shoulder as Reyna pulled me behind her. She stepped forward with her sword drawn.

"You will not harm a single hair on his head. If you do, I'll show you how Orion fell to me."

Artemis paled. "You are the one who…" She shook her head. "It matters not. This boy will be taught a lesson on respect. I believe a round with my wolves would be a good start."

Thalia stepped in front of me, brandishing her Aegis as her spear stuck out over it. With her place next to Reyna, Bianca, and Zoë stood to either side of me, boxing me in from the fury of the moon goddess.

"Artemis, snap out of it!" Thalia said. "You're seriously going to punish him for defending the honor of a maiden?"

"No maiden needs defending, Thalia. You know this!"

"That's a load of Minotaur dung! If not for the will of males, I would be dead! Bianca would be dead! Reyna would be dead! Nearly all of your former Hunt would be dead if not for men!"

"Thalia," I begged, "please don't— mmmfff!"

Of all ways to be silenced, never in a millennium would I have imagined it to be by the lips of Zoë Nightshade. Everyone stared on with a mixture of shock, rage, and a pang of jealousy as Zoë pulled my breath away in the most delicious manner possible. The smell of pine filled my nostrils, with an undertone of jasmine. My foot pawed the ground in a weak effort to escape Zoë's iron grip on my cheeks.

After what felt halfway between a second and an eternity, she pulled away with a slight smack. Her cheeks flushed as her eyes left only a single message to be read in them.

_I'm sorry._

Artemis recovered first, gritting her teeth as she crushed the knife grips in her hands.

"So, this is the path you have chosen?"

Zoë turned to her former mistress, her face devoid of emotion.

"I have pledged my life and my will to serve my master. You no longer hold that title above me." She took my hand into hers, lacing our fingers together. "He does."

Artemis's expression made it evident there would be a red moon tonight, painted across with my blood.

"Jackson, whatever you have done to my hunters—"

"He's been kind!" Bianca said. Her hands flailed around as she spoke. "He's left us to our own devices. He only approached us out of concern for our well being!"

"Yeah, Kelp Head may not be without his flaws, but he's doing his best. When the time comes, I doubt he'll be the one to approach us. We'll go to him."

"Yes," Zoë added. "Not as concubines. Not as servants. Not as slaves. But as friends. He has earned our trust and respect. We have nothing to fear from him."

"Your anger is misguided, Lady Artemis," Reyna said, her sword point never leaving the goddess's direction. "Turn it to the ones who forced this situation on him to begin with."

Artemis's expression darkened. She spoke with a deadly calm voice. "You are safe for this day, Jackson. Know this. If not for these women, your head would be rolling on the ground. But soon you will know the fury of Artemis."

With that, she stormed away with her new hunters in tow. The surrounding light seemed to bend around her. I couldn't tell you when it happened, but at all moments she was there, until she wasn't.

I let out a sigh of relief, as did the others. I tried to play it safe; they played it close to the vest. A moment later, I realized Zoë still held my hand. She came upon the same realization and let go with flushed cheeks.

Thalia glared at the two of us before turning away. Reyna followed with an embarrassed, and seemingly sorrowful, expression. The remainder of us followed without a word. We spent the rest of the walk in an awkward silence.

_Zoë just kissed me_, I thought to myself. Zoë Nightshade _just kissed me! In front of _Artemis!

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why. She may as well have signed my death warrant. Sure, it was nice… _really _nice, but there are better times and places for that. I warred with myself, torn between taking Zoë's hand and kissing her again, or hauling her aside and demanding an explanation from her.

Before I could make up my mind, a familiar stone ranch house stood before us. Its owner stood there with his back to us, muttering and grunting to himself as he struggled with something.

"You Hunters already back? I told y'all-" He turned to us, seeing that we weren't the same group he was expecting. A silver arrow shaft stuck out of his left bicep, dead center of a tattoo of crossed swords.

With stark white hair and a braided beard, the cattle herd looked no different than a year and a half earlier. With his sleeveless denim jacket, he looked ready to join Thalia at a biker rally.

"I know you," he said, pointing to Thalia. He turned to me and chuckled. "I definitely remember you." He turned to Zoë and Bianca. "I know the clothes, though these seem more like knock off versions of regular Hunter clothes." _I tried my best, okay?!_ His gaze landed on Reyna. "Can't say I recognize you or your armor. Where ya from?"

"I am Reyna Arellano," she said with a bow. "Former praetor of New Rome, and daughter of Bellona."

"Rome, huh? Now I've heard everything." He stepped back, taking in the sight of the whole group. "Well, you don't seem like you're here to kill me. Come on in, I've got some iced tea in the fridge."

Curse me and my stupid brain, collecting pieces of memories and forcing them out of my mouth at the worst times.

"Where's Orthrus?"

The oversized rancher tensed. He looked down at his feet. A collar rested on the planks of the porch; a hunter's arrow a few inches away.

"Not here." He picked up the collar and slipped it in his jacket pocket. "Let's talk."

* * *

We followed Eurytion into the house, to which he got us all a refreshing glass of iced tea. Minutes later, we wound up in a very familiar livingroom of the ranch house seemed just as I remembered it, minus a missing pair of dueling swords used by the previous owner. Eurytion sat down on a couch and pulled out a canteen of… well, it's safe to argue it wasn't nectar. He poured the contents on his arrow wound before yanking out the shaft and head with a slight groan. The rest of us flinched as he did.

"You know," I said, "I could have helped with that. I just would have needed a glass of water."

"I appreciate the offer, but you can understand if I'm a bit wary about letting a demigod work any sort of magic on me. No offense."

"None taken."

He leaned back and took a swig as the rest of us sat down on various pieces of furniture.

"So, what can I do ya for?"

"We're actually here on business. Hoping to make a purchase."

"Oh?" He leaned forward. "No super altruistic reasoning behind this? Just a simple trade of animals for gold?"

"This time around, yeah."

"You ain't gonna eat em, right?"

I cocked an eyebrow. "We weren't planning to."

"Hey, I just had to check. Don't know if you had a change of heart over the past year. What animals in particular are you lookin' for?"

I turned to the others with wide eyes. We never actually discussed the details of the animals.

"Uh, think we could browse around for now? We'll definitely make a purchase, but we never saw your full stock."

"Just browsing, huh?" He leaned back. "Tell ya what, I slide you five animals, one for each of you, and cover the transportation costs, so long as you help a fella out."

I turned to the others and received a unanimous nod. "Okay, we're listening."

"Glad to hear it. As you may have noticed, my arm isn't exactly in working condition. Mix that with those damn Hunters killing Orthrus, and I'm in a real bind."

"Why would they do that? Why were they even here?"

He spat into a spittoon on the end table. "With the war over, Artemis needed new prey to hunt. Naturally, that brought her to me. She demanded I release all of my stock into the wild. Said they should be 'hunted where they belong.' I tried telling her I don't kill or allow my creatures to be killed with my knowledge. She turned on me, making no room for bargaining, and threatened me with a bow to the face."

I looked down, already seeing where this was going.

"Orthrus did what any guard dog would do and lunged at her. She shot him dead without a thought."

Reyna balled her fists.

"Death is nothin' new for me, so I told her to take a hike. She shot me in the arm and stormed off." He shook his head with a mournful laugh. "Don't know what's come over her. I've dealt with her several times over the millennia, and she's never been _that_ on edge."

Everyone met my gaze, each giving a knowing response. In a very indirect way, we caused his problems. At the very least, we could help him get back in order. I turned back to him as he rubbed his bicep.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help with that arm?"

"As sure as the sunrise."

_I don't know, Apollo doesn't seem too reliable in my opinion…_

"Anyways, there's two things I need help with. Heck, you can split the work between yourselves and cut down the travel time."

"You have our attention."

His nose twitched as he let out a beady eyed smile. "You remember the stables?"

I paled. "You have to be kidding me."

"Well, _next_ to them is an open range for cattle grazin'. Without Orthrus, I can't herd the cattle too well. Not by myself at least. I need someone to get them back in their pens before dark."

I recalled seeing the herd of red cattle. They numbered a thousand at least. With my sweat going cold, I dared to open my mouth.

"And the other job?"

"You ever heard of the phoenix?"

Every jaw hit the floor with that comment.

"I take it you have. Real popular back in the day. Royalty bird back in Phoenicia way back when. Nowadays, you won't find them flying around too often. Maybe spot one every two to three hundred years or so. Well, I've got one who roosts here."

"Wait," Thalia said, "you have a phoenix locked in a cage?!" An electric fury shone in her eyes.

Eurytion failed to keep a straight face and started crying with laughter. "Keep a phoenix in a cage?! Shoot no! Not even Geryon was that stupid! Birdy would burn down everything within four hundred acres just to escape."

He settled his breathing and took another swig of alcohol. "You know about the whole rebirth process, right?"

Zoë nodded. "It is reborn from its own ashes after it dies."

"That's right. Well, when it's reborn, it's vulnerable. Perfect time for poachers and whatnot to try and get it for themselves. That's why it comes here. To die and be reborn in peace. To live its early years without fear."

"That's… actually really thoughtful."

"Yeah, even I have to admit it was one of Geryon's only good deeds over the years. But back to the task. When a phoenix is reborn, not all of the ash is consumed as a result. Most of it gets left behind. Over the centuries, it's piled up. I never really went in there cuz it doesn't trust children of war. Some old grudge from about a thousand years ago. If I went into its coop, it'd never come back and find itself stuck in the wild. But let's say the children of the big three were to do it… well, let's just say, it might find a new set of perches to latch onto."

"Wait, are you saying you're going to give us a _phoenix_?"

"More or less. Consider it one of your animals of choice if it decides to follow y'all. As much as I hate to admit it, this ranch is no place for it. I'm an old handler who can't even protect his own guard dog. Got a snowball's chance in Tartarus to keep a phoenix hatchling safe for good. So, what'ya say? You shovel the ash out of its coop and herd the cattle, and I'll consider your payment filled."

I looked around to the others. Each face was plastered with varying degrees of shock. However, not a single person offered a rebuttal. I turned to Eurytion with a determined look on my face.

"Deal."

* * *

**A/N - Now, _here's_ the update I owed you guys. To everyone, thank you. Your patience is greatly appreciated. I'll see about getting the next chapter out on time, hopefully without any further delays despite my current lack of a laptop. It was _supposed_ to be fixed today, but when do things ever go according to plan?**

**On a more lighthearted note, I've grown curious about trying something out. Aside from asking for suggestions and such, most fanfiction authors don't really interact with their readers. You all know a great deal about me at this point, so I'd like to turn the tide a bit. With every chapter after this, I'll ask a general question about you guys and whoever wants to can answer. If this process doesn't go over too well, I'll discontinue it, but I'd like to give it a try.**

**For now, here is the question. What is your favorite _underrated_ Disney movie?**

**In my case, I would have to say The Hunchback of Notre Dame or Atlantis - The Lost Empire. They don't get enough love in my opinion. **

**Back to the chapter. Like I said, a lot happens in this chapter. The trip, the girls on the island, Artemis, Eurytion and his chores. It seems like nothing comes easy to Percy and his friends (since when have they ever?). I can already see the Pertemis shippers fuming at Artemis's reaction to Percy. To you, I say "patience." Trust in me, and you will be rewarded. **

**As for what the future of the trip holds, who knows? In the sweltering Texas summer, who knows what kind of _heated_ situations can occur? I do, of course. All jokes aside, I thank each and every one of you for your patience and I look forward to seeing how far we can go before I get every last brain cell in my head.**

**Leave your reviewe and answers. This is Ronin signing off.**


	35. Heating Up in the Coop

Heating Up in the Coop

_What did I get us into?_

Eurytion left no room for error. If we herded the cattle incorrectly, we would be trampled to death in a spooked stampede; if we weren't careful about cleaning out the phoenix's coop, we would wind up joining the ash on the floor. Remind me not to take up ranching if I ever get bored.

Reyna, Zoë, and Bianca took care of herding the cattle. With Reyna's experience handling crowds, Zoë's nimbleness, and Bianca's ability to spook the cows into any direction, they made the ideal herders. That left Thalia and I to meet the legendary phoenix.

"Now, he's not known to be too skittish; at least as far as phoenixes go. But I'd still be careful. Make sure he knows you're in there, and that you aren't a threat. When shoveling out the ash, don't hit the metal against the ground or the walls. Loud noises spook em."

"Anything else you'd like to add to the list?" Thalia asked in a sarcastic tone.

The cowherd put his finger to his lips. "Oh, yeah. Use these." He tossed us each a sack. "They never run out of space. We normally use them for animal feed, but they'll work just as well for your task."

"Do we really need something like this? How much ash is in there?"

He opened the door to the coop, and let us see inside. Both Thalia and I lost our ability to speak upon realizing how busy we were about to be.

"You two have fun, now," he said before leaving.

As far as coops go, I would argue this one was pretty big, about the size of two master bedrooms (bathrooms included). A single perch, roughly six feet in height, stood in the middle. The open ceiling let the noon sun beat down on the both of us. Ash carpeted the room, painting the bronze floor grey and white; sometimes piling up four feet or higher. It would take a group of people hours to complete this. And then of course, there was the phoenix itself.

I didn't know what to expect. With all of the fantasy games and movies showing phoenixes, I was half expecting a bird made entirely of fire or pure light. What I saw was arguably more realistic, but no less beautiful.

Upon the perch stood a bird maybe a single foot in height. Starting from its golden legs, bright orange feathers coated its belly, slowly gradiating into a deep red as it reached the neck.

A purple head with a full rainbow of feathers along the crest rested upon its shoulders, pure white eyes staring back at us. With wings to match its crest and a long tail of orange and purple, it radiated quiet power as we approached.

"Uh, hi there. We, uh… We come in peace."

Thalia scoffed. "I think he's figured that much out for himself. Look, he isn't even afraid of us."

To prove her point, the phoenix leapt from its perch and glided down to us. He inspected us curiously, preening his feathers every minute or so as he bobbed his head to see every angle. After deeming us as friends, he pressed his head into our palms, purring quietly as he grazed his beak against us. He was warm to the touch, but by no means coated in flames.

"We need a name for him," Thalia said.

The phoenix flew away, landing in a pile of ash.

"I don't think he likes that idea."

"Wait a second. Is he… playing?"

Much to my shock, he was digging and rolling around in the ash. For a few seconds, we couldn't help but watch as the majestic bird dirtied itself in the ash pile.

"He doesn't seem all that dangerous. Just… playful."

Right on cue, the phoenix ignited itself. A rainbow of flames danced along its feathers, heating the room by another thirty degrees.

"Okay," I said as my lips went dry, "I stand corrected."

The flames died down, revealing only the feathers from before. He looked at us with curious white eyes before scampering over to us both. When he reached us, he dropped a smoldering piece of wood at our feet; a cinder.

"Cinder," Thalia said, reading my mind. "Is that what you want to be called?"

He squawked excitedly, dancing around before taking flight to circle the room.

"I'll take that as a yes," I said as I watched him. I turned to Thalia. "I think we're clear to clean up now."

* * *

For a grueling three hours, Thalia and I labored away. Our hands burned from the shovels, rubbing and chafing against the rough wood. Occasionally, I would use our sweat to heal our raw digits, but the results never lasted. Minutes later we would find ourselves in need of healing, so we chose to simply muscle through it.

Cinder was no help. Though curious and friendly, he often made our work harder by splashing around in the ash piles and covering Thalia and myself in soot.

"I wonder how the others are doing," Thalia said. "I hope they haven't been trampled."

"They're fine," I replied, though unsure of how I knew. "If anything, they're making more progress than we are."

Thalia straightened out, taken aback by my apparent knowledge. "And how do you know that?"

Sweat dripped from my forehead, and not from the heat (maybe a little). "I… I don't know. I just do. It's like I can see what they're doing. Bianca is panicking, but more or less directing the cattle. Zoë is just toying with them, dancing around them as they corral them to their pen."

She furrowed her brow. "Are you sure you can see them? Like, seriously. Don't play with me about this."

"I'm not playing with anyone! It's the same way I can detect where I am when in the ocean. Like some sort of GPS. But now, it's more like I can track where the others are and what they're doing."

"And you didn't think to bring that up until now?"

"I… I wasn't really paying attention to it. Like, it's there, but it's not overwhelming. Like I subconsciously know it."

She cursed under her breath. "Must be some side effect of the harem. As our master, you know where we are at all times."

"Ha, yeah, right. Do you realize how many times I would go searching for you guys without finding you."

She crossed her arms, her expression one of deep thought. "Maybe it only takes place if we leave the island. Like a type of security system to make sure we don't get hurt or try to run away."

"Let's go with the former. And that makes sense. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure this happened when Calypso and I left the first time around. I couldn't make much use of it because she was right next to me most of the time… But..."

She glanced upward, shoveling another pile into the sack. "Yeah?"

"Why wouldn't it work when I was with Annabeth? When we went to Camp Half-Blood, I didn't know where she was at all times." I sat down, pressing my fingers to my temples. "Ugh, none of this makes sense!"

Thalia shouldered her shovel. "Maybe it's because of her rank. Being headmistress and all, maybe she has more freedoms. Such as not constantly being under your supervision."

"I… I guess that makes sense." I stood back up. "This better not get overwhelming for me. Otherwise, I might lose it."

"Heh… Well, for now, let's keep this quiet. I don't think the others will take kindly in knowing you basically have a tracker on every one of them."

For once, I actually agreed with her. I could only imagine what Zoë would do to me if she found out I could see her every move.

We continued our work for a few more minutes, letting the thoughts simmer. During the passing seconds, my thoughts strayed towards a particular event.

"Hey, Thals… You said you would help me out, right? That I wouldn't have to tackle these things alone?"

She paused for a few seconds, studying my face. "Yeah… Why?"

I scooped up another pile of ash. "Well, it's just… You talk to the Hunters a lot more than me, and…"

"What is it?" she asked, her voice surprisingly gentle.

"Do you know how they feel about this? About… me?"

She turned away, digging her nails into the already splintery handle. "I can't tell you that, Percy. It's not my place to do it." She looked down, staring at the endless piles of grey soot. "All I can tell you is to be prepared."

I took in her words, processing them for the next few seconds. "You didn't have us come here just for the animals, did you?"

Her shoulders sagged. "No, I didn't. I wanted you to use this time to spend it with Reyna. Get some privacy with her so you guys could finally resolve things. Believe it or not, she isn't really upset with you about—" She slapped her hand over her mouth. "I can't say it. Again, it's not for me to say."

I shook my head with a slight smile.

"Regardless," she continued, "that plan went out the window. Especially after Zoë kissed you."

My cheeks heated up. "Any idea why she did?"

She turned red. "I can only guess one thing. But I'm pretty sure there's more to it."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're blushing."

"Am not!" She turned away.

I approached her, placing my hand on her shoulder. "Are you mad at her for doing that?"

A few seconds passed. "... No," she said in a hushed tone. "I'm upset with myself for not doing it first…"

"And there it is!" a new voice intruded.

Both Thalia and I snapped our attention to the eavesdropper. No sooner did we realize the goddess of love herself stood at the entrance. In a pink corseted dress with a three tiered hoop skirt, the ever shifting goddess looked ready to watch an opera from four hundred years ago.

"Aphrodite," Thalia spat. "What do you want?"

The love goddess clicked her tongue. "Now what did I do to deserve such aggression? I even went as far as to endure a horrific place like this just to see you."

Realizing there was no way of Thalia surviving if she pissed off Aphrodite too much, I decided to intervene.

"And we're grateful you made such efforts. How can we help you?"

Aphrodite beamed. "Now _that_ is respect. For that, I'll clean you both up; along with your little mess here."

She snapped her fingers and let a breeze fly through the room. A second later, the ash in the room vanished, wasting the efforts made by both Thalia and myself from the past few hours. On the plus side, I felt refreshed, reenergized. Not to mention, my hands were cleared of the blisters, splinters, and scrapes from the grueling work.

"Thank you, Lady Aphrodite." I raised my palm to show the cleared skin.

"Of course, my loves. Love making is _so_ much more enjoyable with soft hands."

Both Thalia and I went red at Aphrodite's remark. Thalia audibly gagged on the spot.

"Oh, come now. You both are going to get there eventually."

I looked to Thalia, who returned an embarrassed gaze.

"Yeah, but… We don't like to think about it."

"Oh," Aphrodite said with a pout, "such a shame."

"While I appreciate the help," Thalia said, "why exactly are you here? Olympians don't exactly make random appearances for demigods unless they want something."

The goddess chuckled. "You know us too well. There are two reasons I came here. For one thing, I wanted to check on you, Percy. How are things going with the harem?"

In a moment of panic, I considered telling her about the force controlling us. But given her Olympian status, she would probably wave it off as me trying to return the gift once again.

"Things are going fine."

"Fine? I'd say much more than fine! You've become quite the ladies' man, Percy. I have to admit, I felt a bit flustered during your night with Silena."

I buried my face in my hands to hide my scarlet cheeks. "Please don't talk about that."

"Aww, but it was beautiful love. Just imagine if—"

"Why else are you here, Aphrodite?"

The goddess's rosy cheeks flushed with Thalia's interruption. "Right. I do have a bit of a request. I'm currently trying to make a potion of youth. One of the ingredients I need is a phoenix feather. I was hoping you could help me with that."

My jaw hit the floor. "You want us to pluck a feather from Cinder?"

Even Cinder looked upset by this comment, squawking loudly before huddling on his perch.

"Why can't you do it yourself?" Thalia asked. "He's right there."

"Well, yes. But I'm afraid it won't work in my favor if I do that. You see, phoenixes don't exactly like gods. It's like introducing two… oh what's the word? Bombs? Yes. It's like introducing two bombs together. If I were to lay a finger on it, the phoenix would reduce everything within a two mile radius to ash. And I just _can't_ allow it to ruin my dress and make up. I spent nearly two hours preparing myself for this meeting."

I decided not to state the obvious.

"So you just want a feather?"

She smiled. "Just a feather. Nothing more."

With a deep sigh, I turned to Thalia. Though she didn't look happy about it, she nodded her head. We turned and approached Cinder, taking care not to startle him with any sudden movements.

Indeed, his intelligence surpassed my expectations. He watched on for only a few seconds before cooing in defeat. He hopped down from his perch and wobbled over to both Thalia and myself. When he reached us, we found ourselves with his wings wrapped around us, in a type of embrace. For a few seconds he held the position. After he finished his moment of hugging, he buried his head in Thalia's palm, purring and cooing as he raised his left wing to me.

I realized he was offering me a feather. With a look of shock coating my face, I turned to Thalia. She returned my gaze with a surprised look of her own. Pangs of regret ran through me. It didn't feel right to remove anything from this magnificent bird. But at the same time, winding up on the wrong side of Aphrodite's wrath seemed bad for my health, especially with me already on bad terms with Artemis.

My hand crept forward, brushing along his feathers with soft strokes. He trembled beneath my touch, no doubt muttering to himself that I needed to hurry up. Still, the last thing I wanted to do was scare him… or hurt him. A part of me prayed for a loose feather to pop up. Have it fall from his back as I brushed my hand across. No such luck. He only held out his wing further, making his point clear.

I reached for a feather, choosing to pick from an area where several bundled together. If I was lucky, I would pluck a feather he didn't need. Or at least one with the lowest impact.

_SKREE!_

He cried out as I plucked a green feather from his auroresque wings. A mere second later, another feather, identical to the one I plucked, fell from his other wing. With his head buried in Thalia's palm, he chirped and muttered to himself, pressing himself to the daughter of Zeus for comfort.

My heart dropped with guilt. Even though it was by the request of a god, I defaced a phoenix. Such a crime against nature, and yet I couldn't begin to consider the things I felt like doing to myself.

Both Thalia and I comforted Cinder for a few minutes more. He pulled away when his breathing steadied. With another squawk, he flapped his wings and flew through the ceiling, taking to the skies as he left behind the demigods he allowed to wound him.

I picked up the feathers with a solemn expression. Thalia followed me as I approached Aphrodite, holding out the feathers as I did.

"Oh, how lovely!" Aphrodite said. She danced with a slight giddiness as she took the two feathers. "Not just one, but _two!_ These are perfect for the potion. You've done a great service, the both of you."

"I don't know," Thalia said. "I don't feel too great."

"Come now. Don't be such a spoilsport. Not to mention you two work great together. I can only imagine how things will play out when you share a bed together."

Thalia balled her fists. "Great. Remind me not to get in bed with you, Percy."

"Oh, Thalia," Aphrodite said. "Don't try and hide your feelings. I know of what you desire. The things you want Percy to do to you."

She stepped forward, grabbing Thalia by the cheeks. Small sparks flew from Thalia's body, but not a single one seemed to faze the love goddess.

"Now why don't we show Percy how you _really_ feel."

"Let go of me." Thalia said through gritted teeth.

"Come now, be more honest."

The love goddess leaned forward, whispering into Thalia's ear. Thalia went red in the face, her eyes wider than dinner plates. She spluttered, trying with all of her willpower to say something, _anything_, but failed to enunciate herself.

"I didn't… but… no… I wasn't…"

"Well, I believe my time here is done." Aphrodite turned to me. "Don't hesitate to give me a call, Perseus. I owe you for this little favor."

Following the utterance of her words, she vanished in a cloud of pink mist. The smell of pomegranate, rose, and apple filled the room.

While watching on at Thalia's conflicted expression, I packed up the shovels, tossing them into the neverending sacks. For a whole two minutes, Thalia refrained from moving, only shivering with balled fists. When she didn't respond to me calling her name or waving at her, I stepped in front of her and gave her shoulder a gentle shake.

"Thals?"

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I DO!"

She flinched on contact, screaming and punching forward… right where my face was. I flew back a few feet, muscles spasming from the electrified punch. With my hand covering my left eye, I shivered, blinded and throbbing as my face started to swell.

"Oh, shit! Percy!" Thalia rushed to my side, kneeled down, and pried my hand away from my face. "No no no no no. I'm so sorry, Percy. I didn't mean to—"

"We'll get to that later," I grumbled, half blind as my eye continued to swell. "You have any water on you?"

She rummaged through her belongings, searching a satchel for a few seconds before pulling out a canteen. She dribbled water on me in a slow stream, allowing me to heal without completely dousing me. For a few minutes more, I felt the water halt and reverse the swelling. My head stopped spinning and my muscles stopped throbbing.

Thalia pulled me up, catching me as I stumbled. Though my vision was somewhat fuzzy, it returned to normal within a few minutes.

"You've got a mean right jab, you know that?"

Thalia looked down with her hands clasped together. "I'm so sorry, Percy. I don't know what came over me… I…"

I took a step back before closing in for a one armed hug. "Hey, it's alright. What are friends for if not to punch each other in the face?"

She wiped a tear away as she laughed. "Glad to know you think of me so highly."

I turned her around by her shoulders, looking her dead in the eye. "With everything we've been through, you're one of my best friends. By the way, what did Aphrodite say to you?"

Her face turned red as she looked away. "N— nothing…"

"Really? Must've been pretty bad to make you lock up."

Her fists tightened, releasing only as she let out a breath. "She told me… she told me you could…" She scrunched up her face, as if she were spewing acid from her mouth rather than words. "She told me you would touch me better than I did last night…"

I let those words sink in for a few seconds. "Well… I can honestly say I wasn't expecting that."

She looked away, her shoulders hunching up.

"Look, so you were… masterbating. So what? We all have needs."

"It's not just that, Percy. It's…"

She huffed before turning around and making her way to a wall. She slumped down it with her face buried in her hands.

I followed and sat next to her, taking extra care not to wind up on the receiving end of another punch. After listening to her sniffle to herself for a few minutes, I wrapped an arm around her. Though she tensed as I made contact, her posture relaxed into me mere moments later. She turned into me, burying her cheek into my chest.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really?" My shirt muffled her voice.

I rubbed her back. "Listen, Thals. To everyone else, you are the tough as nails badass daughter of Zeus with a love for all things punk. To me, you're one of my best friends. Sure, we have an eternity to spend together, and we'll likely drive each other crazy long before that, but… for now, why don't we open up? Keep it between us?"

She pulled up, looking at me as her eyes crackled with electricity. "Sometimes, I really do hate you. This is one of those times."

My lips took a turn south. "Why?"

She shifted in place, pulling my arm tighter around her. "Because you give me more and more reasons to despise joining the Hunt."

I straightened my neck. "_Huh_?"

She slithered an arm under mine, running across my lower back. "No dating. No romance. No guys. Listen, while I wanted to get out of the Great Prophesy's way, I didn't think about what the results would entail." She tightened her fist. "But there are times… times where you remind me of what I gave up; what I surrendered… All because I pushed the prophecy onto you."

I ran a hand through her dark pixie cut, earning a few tiny bolts through my fingertips as a result. "I try my best. But why be ashamed of that? You can't blame yourself for having wants."

"No," she said, her voice hoarse. "But I wish I could control who they were for."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are we sure this isn't Aphrodite influencing you?"

"Maybe." She sat up, straddling my lap. "But right now, I don't care." Her arms settled on my shoulders, her fingers barely touching around my neck. "Last night… I heard you and Silena. My room is right next to hers, so that should come as no surprise."

I went red in the face. "Oh… Crap… I'm sorry about that. I tried to—"

"I know. I heard everything. While I won't deny, at first, I wanted to bust down the door and give you both a taste of some electricity, as time went on… the way she moaned… the way she screamed for you—" her teeth gritted, as she stifled her own heavy breathing "— It started turning me on. I… I started rubbing myself, wishing I was in her place."

I rested my hand on her waist. "So that's what Aphrodite was getting at… She watched you."

She nodded. "Yeah… The worst part?—" she curled her fingers against my shoulder blades, dragging her nails against the fabric of my shirt "— I'm craving for her words to come true."

A few seconds passed as her words festered in my mind. _Craving._ I knew all too well what she meant… how it feels… Like a neverending throb burning at your core. Debilitating, yet so invigorating.

"Thals…"

"I suck at this sappy romance stuff, so do me a favor, Kelp Head."

I nodded.

"When the time comes for you to get with me, don't hold back. Give me everything you've got. If I'm bleeding by the end of it, at least I'll know it was genuine."

A cold sweat joined the many burning ones on my neck. "I don't think it will come to that, but are you sure?"

She nodded with a smile, her eyes cloudy. "But for now—" she leaned forward, pressing her forehead to mine "—give me a taste of the romance I've been craving."

When her lips reached mine, I don't think I registered it. For a brief moment, everything went numb. Perhaps it was the electricity. Perhaps it was the shock. Maybe, just maybe, it was the overwhelming sensation of having the princess of the skies kiss me.

My senses returned, sharper than ever. The ever present smell of ozone permeated the air, filtering through my nostrils as the metallic scent energized me, pushing me forward until I found myself meeting Thalia's lips with gusto. The crackle of electricity rang in my ears as sparks shot from her body and into the bronze floor. Every few seconds, a small bolt would run through my lips, making the soft skin all the more sensitive to her actions.

She carried very little skill in kissing, settling for simple motions, easy to grasp and follow. I did my part, leading her through the motions; plucking her lips, nibbling them, sucking on them. The prince of the seas led the princess of the skies in a royal dance of oral osculation.

My tongue slid along her bottom lip, taking note of how she quivered beneath my touch. She tightened her mouth, puckering in an instant, only to let me slip in a few moments later. For such a dominant person, her actions showed a desire of the opposite. To be taken care of, to submit to the will of another. Her tongue offered no sanctuary from the electricity, crackling and sparking as our kiss grew in heat.

She panted, running her hands across my shoulders, gripping every loose piece of fabric until she held nothing but bundles of cloth where my sleeves once were. Her arms pulled me forward, hugging our bodies together as if trying to leave a permanent imprint on my torso. The sparks in her hands increased, popping against the floor and walls as my ears fell numb to their noise.

We pulled away for only a second, parting for a breath before allowing ourselves to breathe for the other once more. My hands roamed her lean body, her supple sides offering no yield as I gave them a tender squeeze. Seconds passed as I lifted my hands upward; resting one behind her head to pull her deeper, using the other take her clothed breast into my palm.

She gasped in response, a line of lightning running through her teeth as she bit my lip in surprise. I groaned from the sudden pain, pulling her in for a firmer kiss as my tongue subdued hers without a fight.

With my hand around the back of her neck, I rolled us over, pinning her to the floor as I hovered above her. She looked up at me with her sparkling electric blue eyes, fogged with unbridled lust. She dared not utter a word as I my lips fell upon her, roaming her face and neck with small pecks. Upon the far end of her jaw, her soft spot showed. Delicate and sweet, I nibbled in place earning joy for myself as she gasped and pulled at my shirt.

As one arm braced me up, the other roamed her body, slipping beneath her shirt to trail across her supple skin. Her lean abdomen, pulled tight from years of monster fighting, shivered beneath my fingers, trembling as my touch neared her swollen bosom. Without a single word, she arched her back, pressing herself forward until my hand reached the soft mound of flesh it spent so long seeking.

Electricity crackled as I touched her, sparks flying in every direction except my own. The occasional mini bolt passed through her lips, stunting my ability to taste the refreshing rain dancing within her palate. For sure, she was a quiet lover, letting her aura do the talking for her. She panted and gasped, but otherwise remained silent.

On occasion, her eyes opened, revealing a level of joy never before seen for her. During the few instances in which my finger would flick across her nipple or squeeze it between my now softened pads, she would let out a short whimper. Several arcs of electricity always followed, answering the pleasured cry of their mistress.

For minutes longer, we continued, trading kisses until our lips were numb and swollen. I panted above her, steadying myself only out of fear of falling into her embrace and not wanting to leave it. She rested beneath me, her face mirroring my own with sweat and traces of saliva. We both smiled and giggled at our moment together, so uncharacteristic, so unnecessary, yet with all of the tension finally released, we couldn't help ourselves.

"If you tell anyone about this, I swear—"

"This goes nowhere," I replied, ensuring she could take no oath out of fear she would regret it at a later time. "My lips are sealed."

She smiled with an evil twinkle in her eyes. "Let me make sure of that."

With her arms wrapped around my neck, she pulled me down for another kiss. A single spark passed between our parted lips before the delicate skins touched. For only a few seconds, we held the kiss, locked in a momentary bliss. But as all things, the kiss came to an end with the daughter of Zeus staring up with a mix of joy and anguish on her face.

Taking a moment to clear my head, I pulled Thalia up with me, ensuring we could both walk after our little session. When we verified we could pass for being relatively normal (as normal as two demigods _can_ be), we left the coop with the sacks over our backs. Though not a word passed between us as we returned to the ranch house, Thalia would shoot me a flirty glance every couple of minutes, smiling to herself if I happened to catch her. I couldn't bring myself to complain. For one thing, I knew the giddiness she felt; all too familiar was it as every walk of shame was done with a new partner. But for the major reason, off in the distance, right where the farmhouse stood, I picked up a longtime favorite scent. Barbeque.

* * *

**A/N - ... So... Hey, guys. *fidgets nervously with hem of shirt* I know it's been another long pass since the last chapter... Especially when I said I would double up on the chapters. To those who will listen, I got my computer laptop fixed. Unfortunately, the hard drive on my laptop fried itself... and took six years of files with it... Given that circumstance, I hope you guys can understand why this would take a lot of motivation from me.**

**Back to the chapter. What are your thoughts? Cinder was definitely a brand new addition when I came up with this new plotline, so I hope it pans out well. And it seems like Thalia got a little riled up. I know a lot of people have been looking forward to seeing her get some one on one time with Percy. Hopefully this will sate your appetites for a little bit.**

**So it seems like my last set of interactions was quite the success. For this time around, I want to try something a little more... inventive. For this time, I ask you: If you were to choose one deadly sin and one heavenly virtue to describe yourself, what would you pick? On my part, envy and patience would hit the nail a little too well on the head.**

**Let me know your thoughts about the chapter, or anything you feel would contribute. That being said, if you are a guest profile, and you want a more personalized discussion regarding your opinions on the story, you will have to make an account for me to reply to you. I don't want to put people on the spot publicly, and I will only mention them if a request, suggestion, or question would happen to impact the story as a whole. If you are happy with your own opinions and you don't want any input from me, you are absolutely allowed to carry that opinion whether it differs from my own or not.**

**As always, leave a review. Confess your sins. Praise your virtues. Ask a question. Do what you will. This is Ronin signing off.**


	36. Reyna's Love Life Sucks

Reyna's Love Life Sucks

Lies! Blasphemy! Sacrilege! We arrive to Eurytion's barbeque pit to find him cooking. But cooking what? _Vegetarian_ barbeque, that's what! Why, why, why?! Le sigh… To this day, I promise you, never in my history have I so dearly regretted my own advice to someone…

"Hope y'all enjoy em. Black bean patties, potato salad, buttered and herbed corn on the cob; I got it all."

"You don't have any ribs or anything?" I asked with a small edge of hope in my voice.

"Nope. I minimize my killin. Save all the meat for the mares of Diomedes. Other than that, I've gone full vegetarian. Animals are much happier now."

Zoë gave me a once over and snickered. "I would offer thee my catch, but thou hast forbidden me from hunting."

"I never forbade you from hunting. I just said not to kill any of _his_ animals."

"Well, with how little time we have left in the day, it would be a waste to try and hunt now. Especially with food already offered to us."

I fumed silently, but still accepted Eurytion's offer for food. At least I can say he knew how to cook. While not on par with Katie's cooking, the burgers weren't bad.

"Not that I don't appreciate this, but why did you cook for us?"

Eurytion wiped some corn juice from his beard. "Been a little while since I've had company. Guess I was hopin' you'd stick around for a spell."

I looked around to everyone. Exhaustion painted their faces, though Thalia's was for a quite different reason.

_Maybe staying for a little bit couldn't hurt…_

"What do you guys think? Do you want to stay for a bit longer?"

Most nodded, though Reyna remained passive.

_Just a bit longer, Rey… I promise I'll talk to you after we finish eating._

"I guess you've got company for a few more hours."

Eurytion cracked a smile. "Glad to hear it. Speaking of which, y'all figure out what animals you wanted to take back?"

"No cows," Bianca said. "Please."

I laughed. "Alright. No cows or horses."

_Though getting a mate for Blackjack doesn't seem like too bad of an idea._

Hey, if he wants to be my wingman, it would be criminal of me not to return the favor.

Eurytion held his hand to his chin. "Well that narrows down your options quite a bit. And I take it y'all don't have a ready supply of meat for any carnivores?"

My shoulders fell. "No… I guess I didn't really think that through…"

"Heh, don't beat yourself up. I've dealt with worse. But for now—"

_SQUAWK!_

All heads turned to the intruder, who landed on our patio table with a _THUMP_. A purpled head eyed each and every one of us before nuzzling his beak in Thalia's palm.

"Cinder?"

"Well cover me in snakes, and call me Medusa, you actually did it."

Everyone turned to Eurytion except for Thalia, who continued playing with our new friend. The cattle herd rubbed his fingers together as he studied us, a light twinkle in his eye.

"Consider this your animal. He's a free spirit, so you won't have to worry about keeping him fed. He knows where to eat."

Cinder cooed as he nuzzled Thalia's forehead, hopping on her shoulder and perching himself like an oversized parrot.

"You're really serious about giving him to us?"

"It's not up to me anymore. He made his choice." Eurytion leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. "But I still can't help you with the other animals. You wouldn't happen to have any work needing to be done, would ya?"

I frowned. "Not that I… Come to think of it, yeah, we do. We have a bunch of pegasi and hippocampi staying on our island. We need stables for them and a landing strip for them by our house."

"Y'all have an island? Damn, I need to upgrade. Well, alright; I can get you a stables built. Landing strip too."

"Are you serious? I didn't know you could build."

"Ha!" He stuck his thumb towards the house. "Who do you think built this? Or the enclosures? Geryon? The man couldn't get anything done with his torsos in the way."

"Noted. What about your arm?"

He pointed to his bicep. With the exception of a small scar, his arm looked otherwise unharmed.

"It's my parentage. Let's me heal pretty quick. Of course, it doesn't help most of the time, but I've managed."

"So… all of the work…"

"Like I said, I've been wantin' some company. Besides, it's gettin' late. If you're taking the phoenix with you, it's best to travel during the day."

"Why?"

He looked up. "After the little spat with Artemis, I don't trust letting him fly while there's a full moon. She's probably waiting for me to slip up."

My head fell. "I see your point. We didn't have a good run in with her either."

"Whelp," he clapped, "nothin' we can do about it now. How 'bout y'all help me with cleaning up?"

* * *

Of course he made us wash dishes by hand, why wouldn't he? The Hunters and I left no work for Geryon; our treat for the chef. After we all wrapped up in the kitchen, everyone agreed to allow a few hours of relaxing.

"Consider it well earned," Eurytion said. "For your help, y'all can use the spare bedroom. Used to be Geryon's before I cleaned it up. Haven't really used it since."

"So we're sleeping in the bed of a dead monster?" Bianca asked. "Why not?"

Zoë grabbed Bianca's arm and hauled her towards the room. "Come. I will tell thee of my _many_ unsavory sleeping locations."

The rest of us watched on as they vanished behind the door.

"I'd better go keep an eye on them," Thalia said. "Need to make sure Zoë doesn't bore Bianca to death."

_And get some information out of Zoë_.

She never said it, but her intentions were clear; to me at least. She followed them into the room, Cinder trailing behind her, leaving me with an oversized rancher wearing a perplexed expression.

"Colorful bunch, huh?"

"You don't know the half of it." I turned to face him. "I don't mean to be rude, but I have to go make an Iris message. Probably for the best that my friends know where we are."

He scratched his beard. "Be my guest. Got plenty of sinks around here if you're not too concerned about the connection quality. Best results would be from the stream, but it'll be too dark by the time you get there."

"Thanks for the heads up. I'll be in the bathroom."

Minutes later, I stared into the somewhat spotty image of Piper with her back to me.

"Hey, Pipes. How's everyone doing?"

She jumped and whirled around, sending her harpie feather fluttering to the floor. Once she recognized me, she crossed her arms and pursed her lips.

"Let me guess, you guys aren't coming back tonight."

I scratched the back of my head. "That obvious, huh?"

"Yep. Well, everything is pretty calm for now, save for Drew trying to scavenge for her makeup in the ashes."

"Sounds about right." I curled and uncurled my fingers. "How's Annabeth?"

She let out a sigh. "About as well as can be expected. She should be fine by tomorrow, but for now, she's still resting. Calypso and I let Athena in on the situation. Needless to say, she's pissed."

I flinched. "She didn't take it out on you guys, did she?"

Her eyebrow raised. "Her daughter was given alcohol poisoning by Olympian wine. No, she's going to take it out on whoever gave it to her. She's in the middle of a full blown investigation to find out who her supplier was."

I shivered. "I'd hate to be on the receiving end of her fury when she finds out. At least I know we have one goddess crossed off the list of mind manipulators."

"Yeah. For the time being, she doesn't want Annabeth back on Olympus. Not until she finishes her search." Her light smile raised a bit. "Looks like you've got your girlfriend back for a few days."

I let out a breath. "And I'm glad to have her. We can use the extra brain power. And is that a bit of jealousy I hear?"

"Maybe a little. You and I never finished what we started."

"I know," I said with a sigh. "I'll do my best to make it worthwhile when the time comes."

"Ooh, I like the sound of that. Well, if that's all for now…"

"Yeah, keep an eye on everyone, will you? You're in charge until I get back."

Her eyes widened. "I don't know if I should be grateful or pissed off by that. If anything goes wrong—"

"It's only for tonight. We'll be back tomorrow morning."

"All five of you together? So who's the lucky lady for tonight?"

My shoulders sagged. "No idea. Both Thalia and Zoë have gotten… intimate to varying degrees. But then things are still in a bad flux with Reyna, so…"

"Looks like you've got your work cut out for you. If you're doing well with Thalia and Zoë, then I don't think you should have to worry about them. Reyna, however, should be your focus."

"I know, I know. I'll find her right after this."

"Well then, don't let me keep you waiting. Whoever it is, give them a night to remember. Hopefully, I'll find myself on the receiving end of your passion again soon."

With her closing statement, she blew me a kiss and swiped her hand through the mist, dissipating the image between us. For a few moments after, I stood there, holding my hands against the sink and looking into the mirror, trying to process all of the events taking place. After clearing my head, I took my leave of the bathroom and made my way to find Reyna.

* * *

If not for my newly discovered (or self-realized) ability to know where the other girls were, I never would have found Reyna. Upon the roof, the former praetor sat while watching the sunset with a cup holding a pyramid of shaved ice in hand. How she managed to get up there, I have no idea; it took propelling myself up with a small geyser to reach her.

"Hey, Rey. This seat taken?"

She shot me a sideways glance and gestured for me to sit down.

"Piragua?" She held the frosty treat to me. "My favorite dessert."

"Um, sure." I took the cup in hand and enjoyed a small spoonful. The taste of mango washed over my tongue as the thick syrup traveled down my throat, cooling me down by a few degrees. "Where'd you get this?"

"Eurytion," she said without any enthusiasm. "He made some a few days back."

"Ah."

I returned her cup to her, to which she scooped another spoonful into her mouth. For a few minutes longer, we sat in uncomfortable silence. When I could no longer bear the thought of this talk failing, I decided to speak.

"So I talked with Thalia while we were busy."

She sat for a few seconds before nodding for me to continue.

"You knew this trip wasn't about checking out animals. That's why you looked so uncomfortable before."

Her head fell. "Yes, I did. Percy…" She lifted her head eyeing me with a weary gaze. "Whatever you think I was feeling, I doubt you see the whole picture."

"Wouldn't be the first time," I said with a snort. "Why don't you help me out then?"

Her fingers tightened around the cup. "Did she tell you why I…?"

"Almost, but she said it wasn't her place to tell me."

She nodded, pausing for a few seconds before letting out a breath. "You're not an idiot, Percy."

"Glad you noticed."

She glanced at me, unamused. "You know I already harbored feelings towards you. Before all this."

Sweat rolled down the back of my neck. "Yeah. But I was already with Annabeth."

"And Jason. You know I carried some romantic feelings for him as well."

"Dodged a bullet if you ask me."

"Well… yes, I suppose. Maybe it did work out better for us not to be together, but I digress." She took another mouthful of flavored ice. "But you know I resented both Piper and Annabeth for it; unfair as it may be."

"Yeah… You still did what you knew was right. You put aside any petty thoughts and helped us save the world."

She offered a halfhearted smile, but seconds later, it vanished. "I think it's time I come clean. Explain myself for being so… reclusive."

"You don't have to. I know, I screwed up. I should have paid more att—"

"That's not why I was upset." She ran her hand over her hair, smoothing her braid before taking another bite from her dessert. "I've never told you about my encounter with Venus."

I thought back, failing to recollect any memories of what she was talking about. "No, I don't think so."

She nodded. "This was years ago. While in Charleston, Venus and I had a...talk. During that time, she… she told me…" Her fists clenched, nearly crushing her cup as she blinked away a few tears. "She said 'You will not find love where you seek or where you hope. No demigod shall heal your heart.'"

My thoughts strayed to the estranged love goddess. Only a few hours prior, I watched her flip Thalia's switch with only a few words. Though I didn't want to admit it, I couldn't deny this kind of ploy fell in line with what Thalia warned me about several years ago, back when I first met Aphrodite.

"Well," I said, "it's safe to say you weren't expecting to find love in a harem. So that checks off the first half. And… while I may still be a demigod, maybe because of the whole 'eternal youth' gift, maybe we classify as something else. Like the Hunters of Artemis. While plenty of them are demigods… or… well… at least the ones she had before…"

"I know… I was there to witness the massacre…"

My shoulders slumped. _You're doing _great_, Percy. Keep it up…_

"Regardless, they didn't really count themselves among demigods. Maybe the immortality nullifies someone's status as a demigod. Just look at Heracles. He was a demigod, but he became a god after he died."

She raised an eyebrow. "Only after burning himself alive on a pyre to strip away his mortal form."

"I mean… I blew myself up in a volcano, bathed in the River Styx, and drank from the Phlegathon. Maybe I burnt mine away as well, just at a much slower rate."

She held my gaze for a few seconds. "Not only does that not make any sense, but you're trying too hard to get my hopes up."

My shoulders slumped. "Don't you get it. I'm trying to undo what she told you."

"And I appreciate that, Percy. I really do. But you're missing the point."

I straightened my neck. "Please explain."

"I'm trying to say I was never upset with you. I was upset with myself, upset with my curse, upset with the knowledge that no matter how hard you try, you could never truly love me."

I took her free hand in my own, clasping it with both. "I love all of my friends. If you let me, I promise I can love you as more." I held her gaze for a few more seconds. "You know, I still have a position open for a wife. I'm not the most eloquent with words, but if you want, I would gladly give you that position."

Minutes of silence passed as she processed my words, all gears turning in her head. When her grip on my hand tightened and a tear dropped from her lashes, I knew what her answer was.

"No."

As much as I didn't want to admit it, I saw this coming a mile away. Still, the sting of knowing I could give her everything except for what she wanted pulsed throughout my entire body. However, my nightmare from a few days prior lost all rationale in that moment.

"Listen," she said, "you have no idea how tempting it is to jump at the opportunity. But you have friends who are far more deserving, people you have bonded with over the past several years. Give them the position. Give them your love."

Thoughts flew through my head at a zillion miles per hour, each one trying to piece her words into the puzzle of my dream. It didn't make sense. If she refused to be my wife, then what conflict would break out between them? And how could someone who was once a praetor allow themselves to remain a concubine without putting up any resistance?

"You know… I had a dream a few nights ago."

Reyna looked to me with a mask of shock. "I haven't dreamt since we arrived."

"Not on Galínios, in New York. In it, I saw you and the other girls fighting. You, Annabeth, Piper, and Calypso; each one of you were trying to kill each other."

She frowned. "That doesn't make sense. If you're dreaming about this, then…" Her eyes bored into me. "What _exactly_ did you see in that dream?"

I proceeded to tell her about my dream in the flowery meadow, and the battle between the flora and fauna. When my story came to a close, she pulled herself back with a look of shock.

"It doesn't make sense. I have no quarrel with them… I want no part in this conflict." She laughed, though it seemed pained. "Most of my time has been spent in either the cave or the gym, trying to collect myself for the time to come when I share a night with you; making sure you enjoy my body as much as I hope to enjoy yours."

My eyes shot open, as did hers. She clasped her hand over her mouth and turned away.

"Um, I mean… I hope it doesn't turn out terrible." Her face turned bright red.

"Reyna?" I placed a hand on her knee.

She shook her head, fighting back tears with her lips sealed tight.

I let out a sigh, tracing my finger around her kneecap. "You told me you weren't mad at me…"

She inched her head around, peering at me for a few seconds before nodding.

"Well," I took a shaky breath, "what do you feel for me?"

She remained quiet, drawing small breaths as she attempted to shrink away. For someone as proud and regal as Reyna, to see her shy away at the mere mention of her feelings put a knife in my gut.

"How honest do you want me to be?" she asked in a small voice.

I curled my fingers on her knee. "How honest are you willing to be?"

She turned away, hugging her knees to her chest. I watched on as she remained silent for a few more seconds.

"Desire… That's what I feel…" She turned to me with tears in her eyes. "An unbridled, unkempt desire for you to do whatever you want to me. _That's_ why I've been pulling away. _That's_ why I left the area at the mere mention of you being with someone else." She turned away. "Not because I was angry with you for being with them. Not because I was upset with them for taking you. But because I wanted… No… I _hungered_ to be in their position."

I remained quiet, unable to process her words. _Reyna Ramírez-Arellano was desperate for me to have sex with her?!_

"If… if that was the case, why didn't you tell me?"

She sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. "The former praetor of Rome requesting sexual gratification from her new master? Can't you see where I would struggle with this?"

"I… I guess. But at the same time, you don't want the position of being my wife. It doesn't make sense."

"Nothing does. Besides, there's a bit of a difference between relinquishing a title of power and asking for you to plow me."

I rubbed the back of my head. "Yeah, I see your point."

She rested her chin on her knees. "Always the one at the forefront, but never doing what's expected of me." She turned to me. "Much like Annabeth, I'm always the one with a plan." Her head fell as she laughed pitifully to herself. "With all of my experience in politics, you'd think I would find myself prepared for this. And yet, here I am, upset at the world and myself for having not yet slept with you."

My gaze fell on the sunset. The last streaks of Apollo's chariot stretched across the sky, giving way to the arrival of his sister.

"None of us were ready for this. No amount of planning could have prepared us." I turned to her, taking her hand into my own. Her eyes widened in response as she drew a sharp breath. "But none of it matters anymore. All that matters is that we keep moving forward. I know I haven't been a very good leader, but from this point on, I'll strive to be the best I can. No more avoiding anyone. I'll do what I have to to make sure everyone stays at their best. No one gets left behind."

Reyna remained silent for a few moments, her eyes misting in the light of the sunset. She sniffled and wiped away a tear. "If only the others could see you now. That's what I couldn't help but fall for."

I tightened my grip on her hand. "My offer still stands."

She shook her head. "No. Save it for someone who's earned your love. Someone who can lead this harem in a better direction alongside you. I am not that person."

My shoulders fell. "It can't be said that I didn't try. Will you at least help me out if things get too hectic? No one here knows how to lead like you do."

She tilted her head with a smile. "Of course. But that must come another day. For now, I think we should head inside. Eurytion told me he wanted to have a movie night with everyone."

I laughed into the warm summer night air. "Sounds about right." I stood and pulled Reyna up with me. With a joking bow, I swiped the air before me, motioning for her to pass. "After you, my fierce general."

* * *

**A/N - And thus, we bring a close to yet another unresolved plotline. What were your thoughts? As I said in the beginning, I'm trying to keep everyone in character, and I also want to tie this story into the canon universe as much as possible. Such is the case with every story I write. As my father once said, Fanfiction is the best way to answer the "What if?" questions of any piece of work. This is especially true for Percy Jackson, given that this is the third largest book based fandom on Fanfiction.**

**On top of all of this, there are now so many questions to ask. What did Percy's dream mean? Who is Percy's final wife going to be? Why do I have Reyna on my cover art if she isn't going to be a wife? Okay, that last one was reaching a bit, but still. I tried multiple artworks, but Fanfiction is so restrictive on cover art sizes that I couldn't use any of the others. When the time comes, I'll change the artwork so that Percy's actual wife shares a place among the remaining girls, but for now it'll remain a mystery.**

**Honestly, I struggled with Reyna's character. I wanted to make her a wife of Percy's so badly, but I couldn't go against the in universe material. While I do have a story planned down the line where she and Percy do get together, I choose to be a bit more lax with that rule. For this one though, I want to keep it lore accurate.**

**It seems like everyone is liking the questionnaire, so I'll keep them coming. This one won't be as personal, as the last one gave me some rather... private results. I didn't mean to step on any toes; this is just for fun. For this question: If you were a character within the Percy Jackson universe, who would you be?**

**In my case, I've said it before and I'll say it again. I've been told I would make a very convincing Percy. Sarcastic and sassy sense of humor; always in over my head; never has any idea about what's going on, yet still somehow managing to come out successful. To top it off, as many people in private messaging have noted on, while I may not have ADHD, ADD is very prevalent in my family. My sister has the worst of it, but I'm pretty sure I have it, and I'm also pretty sure it's been getting worse as the years go on. That may or may not play a role in slower updates, especially given the fact that this story will be even longer than I initially anticipated. For retrospect, look at the current word count. At about 170 thousand words, I've already written more in the past four months than most authors write in a year. To say the burnout is inevitable is putting it mildly.**

**Speaking of other authors, tell me, how pumped are you guys that The Tyrant's Tomb is finally out? I guess this makes two questions, but whatever. Personally, I'm worried. With all of the character shifts taking place (why did he have to make Piper so cold? Check out my theory regarding that on the Riordan fandom site. Look up "Theory on why Piper really broke up with Jason." I just googled it and it was the very first result. Lucky me. End of shameless self advertisement here.****) and the ever lingering worry that Apollo will wind up with Reyna, there is a lot that I'm anxious about. Funny how Reyna's love life is my worry in this chapter of all chapters. Still, let's see what the fandom has to offer regarding their thoughts to the _real_ PJO universe.**

**With that massive author's note out of the way, I can finally bring this chapter to a close. Let me know all of you thoughts, be it about the chapter, my questions, or even my theory on the fandom site. Leave your words in the reviews or PM me if you want a more personal touch. I try to respond to all of my PMs right away, but depending on the time of day, I may not be able to. Whichever way works best for you, let's see what you have to say. As always, this is Ronin signing off.**


	37. Giving in to the Urges

Giving in to the Urges

For as far back as I can remember, movie nights never ended with the movie. For sure, they started with a nice, relaxing show as I leaned against Annabeth while munching away at popcorn. Maybe I would occasionally tease her by kissing her with buttered lips. But I could handle these kinds of situations. It's always when the ideas don't form in my head that I find myself waking up the next morning without any clothes on. This night was no different.

When Reyna and I found our way in the living room, we found the Hunters and Eurytion resting on the chairs and couches, debating the best way to tame a wolf.

"You need their trust at a young age," Thalia said. "Otherwise you risk having it act on instinct rather than training."

"So long as you show em who the alpha is," Eurytion said while pointing a finger at himself, "you won't have to worry about it."

"So this is how you guys spend your time? Arguing about taming methods?"

Thalia turned to me with an accusatory glare. "Only when we're waiting for _some people_ to show up for the movie."

I offered a sheepish smile in response. "Sorry. What movie?"

"We don't know," Bianca said. "Eurytion wanted to wait until you two came back to tell us."

All attention turned towards the overgrown rancher.

"Bonnie and Clyde," Eurytion said with a grin, "The True Story."

"I remember those two," Zoë said. "A son of Hermes and a daughter of Eris." She shook her head. "The number of problems they caused…"

"Doesn't detract from the movie's quality," Eurytion said in a defensive tone.

"Very well," Reyna said. "Our guest wishes to treat us. It would be rude to suggest otherwise."

Thalia scooted over, motioning for both of us to sit down. Reyna took the arm opposite of Thalia, leaving me right in the middle of the couch.

"How'd it go?" Thalia asked in a hushed tone.

"Better than expected. Looks like I'll get some peace after all. But it only raised more questions."

Frown wrinkles pulled at her lips as she gazed into nothing, frozen in thought. When she returned to our world, she squeezed my hand, sending an unintended jolt up my arm. The steeled determination shown in her eyes, sending an all too familiar message.

_We'll talk about this later._

With our silent understanding, we relaxed into the couch as Eurytion fiddled with the television.

"Darned thing never wants to work. Now if you just- Here we go!"

He returned to his chair as the movie blared on screen, taking us into the world of Bonnie and Clyde.

Not even a quarter of the way through did I lose any interest. With my ADHD kicking in, I couldn't help but drum my fingers along my thighs or shift around as I watched the others. Awkward glances left and right told me I wasn't the only one who couldn't sit still. All but Zoë and Eurytion shot glances towards everyone else. Reyna and Thalia used the moments of unease to turn me into their pillow, not that I minded too much.

Thalia let out sighs of boredom as she rolled her coin over her fingers. Small jolts of electricity would shoot up my spine anytime the loud movie noises pulled her out of her thoughts.

Reyna leaned her head against my arm, tucking her feet beneath her legs. Whether or not she noticed her hand buried in my pocket, I couldn't tell you.

"Well," Eurytion said out of nowhere, "I should probably hit the hay. Too much to drink. Plus I gotta help y'all out tomorrow."

Without another word, he stood and made his way to his bedroom, leaving his guests to watch the movie he put on.

"Glad to know our host was willing to stick around," Bianca said in an unamused voice. "I don't know about you guys, but it's been a long day. I need some sleep."

"Agreed," Zoë said. "I could use the rest."

Both Hunters followed Eurytion's lead and headed to the spare bedroom. For the rest of the night, not a sound emerged from their room.

Thalia shifted around, locking her chin on my shoulder. For a few seconds, I failed to notice her staring at me. Only when the familiar tingle of her lips pulsed through my cheek did I turn to her.

"I'll go ahead and give you two some privacy," she said, loud enough for only me to hear. "Don't worry about making too much noise. I spiked his drink with a… special potion. He won't notice a thing all night long."

She leaned her forehead against mine and squeezed my hand, sending small sparks between our hair. Moments later, her figure melted into the shadows of the hallway, vanishing alongside the Hunters. For a few minutes longer, Reyna and I tried to watch the movie, neither of us caring about the thieving and murdering couple on the screen.

"You're not watching this," Reyna said in a dull tone, "are you?"

I looked over to her and shook my head. "Not really, no."

I grabbed the remote and paused the movie, taking a few seconds to get the remote to work for me. Reyna tittered for a moment, covering her mouth when she noticed me watching.

"Sorry." She tucked her hands beneath her legs. "It's been a long time since my last laugh."

My lips pulled into a half-smile. "Then I guess I'll have to keep it up." I leaned back, stretching out along the couch. "Unless, of course, you don't _want_ to laugh."

"Don't want to laugh?" Her voice raised an octave. "In a world where we look over our shoulders and stay on the run to avoid being killed or worse, why would I not want to laugh?"

"I don't know." I sat forward, leaning my arms on my knees. "You Romans are weird."

"Is that so?" She crossed her arms. "No, what's weird is how Thalia left us to be alone, yet you haven't made a move."

A single breath of laughter left my throat. "Sounds like someone needs some tending to."

Her head fell. "Maybe…" For a few seconds more, she stared at the floor, her hands fidgeting beneath her legs. She turned, pressing her forehead to my shoulder."You don't have to do this if it feels forced."

"Forced?" I lifted her chin so I could see her dark eyes clearly. "We were _forced_ into this situation. We were _forced_ to have this kind of relationship. We were _forced_ to fight wars on the gods' behalf."

I leaned forward, pressing the bridge of my nose against hers. "But right now, I don't feel anything forced about this. About _us._ You may not see it. You may not believe you deserve it. But I see a great future between us. Hopefully when you change your mind."

Her eyes darted away as her brows furrowed in a pained expression. "Why do you make this so easy for me, but so hard at the same time?"

I wrapped my arm around her. She nestled herself closer, though her pained expression never faded.

"I won't force you to make a choice. But I hope I'll see the days where I can wake up to find your face next to mine. Not as your master; but as something more."

She nuzzled my shoulder, slipping a finger into my pocket. "If you leave the choice up to me, I'll never take it. But I wouldn't mind waking up in the same bed as you every now and then. Not as a friend or wife, but as a fellow former praetor who cares for you."

"Sounds like you've given this a lot of thought."

She pulled herself against me, straddling my waist. Her arms wrapped around my neck as she leaned her head on my shoulder.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to be in this position. How desperate I've been…" She moistened her lips as her fingers curled, running their tips along my spine. "I've heard whispers of a magic veil that makes us desire you. Makes us want you to do unspeakable things to us." She pulled back, lacing her fingers around my neck. "I promise you, none of it was necessary for me."

With her secrets spoken and clear, she leaned forward. The t.v. screen lighting her back gave her an ethereal glow as she closed in. When the time came for her to press her lips to mine, I couldn't bear to waste one single second.

Not a doubt in my mind declared she had any experience. Though sloppy and simple, the affection in her kiss warmed me to my toes. Delicate lips fell on mine, and not a second passed in which I didn't rejoice over the sensation. Shaky breaths passed through her nose as she trembled above me, her fingers kneading at my back.

"Let me lead."

Temptation shone brightly in her eyes, the longing look of a lost lover. For not a moment did she spare before she pulled me around, pressing herself into the soft recesses of the couch. Bathed in soft light, Reyna tugged at my shirt, pulling me against her as I brought my lips to meet hers.

Sweat fell into my mouth as she returned my kiss; the salted fluid being only my first taste of the night. She responded to my every action: tilting her head as I pulled at her lip, leaning into my palm as I caressed her cheek, pressing her impressive bust against my chest as I laid her down on the couch.

I pulled back, straddling her waist with my hands pressed to her shoulders. A drip of sweat fell from my nose to her cheek as the temperature increased by ten degrees. Lidded eyes met my own as she reached for my shirt, tugging with a mild whine to pull me closer.

"More… please." Choppy breaths punctuated her words. Her heaving chest drew my attention to her shirt. No longer dressed in her armor, Reyna still looked ready for war. Her purple tank top hugged her warrior's physique. Deep brown cargo shorts covered her thighs, concealing many things, from weapons to accessories; and yet, none of those concerned me. My desires lied upon what rested beneath the shorts.

The longing of her scent of lust drove me to rub my hands along her arms. I pulled her hand away from my shirt and kissed the back of her palm, relishing in the salty taste of her sweat; as if the sea itself were dripping from her pores to slake my lust rather than to cool her body. And yet, I dared not let her body cool. Quite the opposite.

I surged forward, kissing along her jawline as my hand crept towards the hem of her top. Tensed muscles greeted me, but she failed to deny her own desires, arching her back and panting, letting me peel the fabric away as I pressed dainty kisses further down her throat. The resounded smacks of my kisses followed by her pants spurred me, driving me to kiss lower and lower.

The sensation of fabric halted my motions when I reached her chest, revealing a black sports bra restraining her bust. For a few seconds more, my gaze lingered on the strained fabric stretching around her bosom. When I couldn't bear the torment of not touching them any longer, my eyes raised to meet Reyna's. Dark brown eyes held my gaze, imploring me with nary a word. All too late did she realize I wouldn't make a move before she spoke.

"Do it."

Without another word, my fingers curled around the underside of her sports bra and pulled it away. She raised her arms to aid me, resting her hands on my shoulders when her chest was clear of the barrier. She held my gaze, her braid barely held together, her fingers kneading at my shoulders. Scarlet painted her cheeks as I lowered my gaze, but she made no efforts to cover up, no efforts to hide her beauty.

"What do you think?"

I brushed my finger over her lips, to which she kissed the pad before taking the digit into her mouth; not to suck on it, but to hold it between her teeth as she stared at me with an uncharacteristically nervous gaze.

"What do I think?"

I pulled my thumb away, brushing it along her cheek as I dove in for another kiss. Seconds passed before I parted from her, leaving both of us with swollen lips as we panted from the mutual heat.

"I think I couldn't have asked for a better partner."

She turned away, holding a closed hand to her cheek to conceal her blush. I found some humor in reducing Reyna, of all people, to a blushing mess. Still, her acceptance of me as a lover and not as a source of disdain mattered most to me.

I lowered myself, trailing kisses and gentle nips along her collarbone. Whimpers sounded out, followed by breathy moans and soft squeals. My hands crawled along the length of her braid, pulling her head to me for another kiss. No longer did she restrain herself. Her arms wrapped around me, driving her nails into my back as she pulled me in for a deeper kiss, taking the initiative with her tongue as she probed my lips. I relented, letting her regain some control as she explored my mouth with her warm muscle. She panted and moaned into the kiss, scratching deep trenches into the skin of my back.

I groaned at the pain, the sensation forgotten, but not entirely repulsed. If nothing else, it drove me forward, forcing myself on her in more aggressive ways. Be it turning her head to the side and sucking along her neck or squeezing her cheeks as I tugged her lower lip with my teeth, nothing was off-limits. Her body rolled in waves as she moaned and whined, toes curling with every passing second.

She clawed at my back as I lowered myself, nibbling at every parcel of skin I crossed as I trekked towards her chest. For a few moments, I marveled at her breasts, weighing one in my hand as I bored into the other with wide eyes. Though not as big as Silena's, she wasn't too far off. Her Latin heritage certainly held some sway over her build, but her muscled body kept them firm beneath my fingers.

"What are you waiting for?" She looked at me with parted lips as she gasped for air.

I wasted not a second longer, taking a brown nipple into my mouth and nursing on the erect teat. Her skin molded beneath my hand, jiggling only the slightest as pressed deeper into her bosom.

"Oh!"

She dragged her fingers up, gripping her slightly bloody tips on my neck to pull me in further. I moaned into her bust, relishing the salty taste of her sweat as I sucked harder on her nipple. The other fell victim to my fingers as I pinched and twisted it, striving to make her cry out louder.

She writhed beneath me, panting like a dog in mid-July. When I was certain she could take no more, I pulled away, leaving her a red-hot, sweaty mess. A few minutes passed before she regained her breath, her hand pressed to her heaving chest as it raised and lowered. When her breathing steadied, she gazed up at me with lustful eyes, taking her finger between her teeth as her sultry gaze undressed me.

"My turn."

She pounced at me, stripping my shirt from my body in seconds. I fell backward as she straddled my waist, nipping and kissing up my torso before her lips found mine. She lingered for a few minutes, demonstrating her newer skill as she pulled and bit at my tongue. She suckled it as she scraped her nails down my chest, stopping only when her blood-stained fingertips reached my waist.

I failed to notice the jingle of my belt buckle until it clattered along the floor. Through her breathy kisses and powerful aroma, I found myself too lust drunk to care for the whereabouts of my clothing. My hand rested on her cheek as she raised herself to her knees, using the extra space to unbutton and unzip my shorts. With trembling fingers, she pulled away, sliding both my shorts and boxers down my legs.

"By the mercy of Jupiter!"

She stared in awe at the erect length of flesh before her, taking heavy breaths as she attempted to regain her composure. Her gaze fell on me, lost in a misty veil of darkened lust. Though unnerved, I maintained my self-control, certain that I would not ravage her throat, or any orifice of hers, until the time was right.

Following a deep gulp, she took a breath, calming her nerves before moving forward. I offered no resistance as she took me into her hand, groaning softly as her calloused fingertips rubbed along the delicate flesh. In a mere moment, I saw her eyes switch from panic to determination, as if my dick was nothing more than another obstacle for her to overcome. She brushed the tip against her mouth, licking up the precum that smeared on her lips.

"Calypso was right." Her gaze turned sultry as she smiled, jerking my length with slow movements. "You _do_ taste sweet."

Before I could offer any commentary, her lips parted around my swollen head, enveloping it, along with half of my erection, in a warm and wet embrace. No further than halfway could she go before she gagged, unable to press herself further. Through nothing more than sheer willpower, she held herself in place, sucking on what she could as her tongue licked the underside of my shaft. With one hand, she jerked the remaining length, with the other, she took my balls and cradled them, shifting them around in her palm.

Her face turned red as she exerted herself, straining her oxygen supply to hold place on my cock. She quickened her pace with her hand, her drool lubricating the base as she coughed and choked. When I could bear the sight of her struggling no longer, I pressed my hand to her forehead and pushed her off of me, dislodging the turgid organ from her mouth. Wide eyes met mine as a mask of shame fell across her features.

"Was it that bad?"

I caressed her cheek. "No. I just don't want you hurting yourself."

She grimaced. "But I have to—" she turned her attention to the two orbs in her palm "—do it right."

No further did she speak before her head fell between my legs, taking one testicle into her mouth as her hand continued jerking my cock, traveling with smooth motions across the lubricated shaft. I hissed as she suckled on my scrotum, dark eyes falling on me, gauging my reactions.

My hands traveled to her glossy black hair, fingers digging into her locks as she sucked and licked with a renewed enthusiasm. Her hand flew across my length at greater speeds, increasing in pace as the overzealous Latina began to enjoy herself.

_The former praetor of New Rome is jerking me off while sucking my balls… and she's _enjoying it!

Her zeal counted for something as she drooled with my testicle in her mouth, sucking on it as I gripped the couch to steady myself. She took notice of my sudden shakiness, smiling to herself as she moved from one ball to the other. With a quickened pace, her hand flew across my shaft as she moaned into my scrotum.

"Fuck, Reyna."

I leaned forward, pressing my hands to her shoulders as she eyed me with a devious smile. Shivers ran through my body as pleasure set my nerves ablaze, igniting all facets of lust broiling within me. With shaking hands, I restrained myself from pouncing on her as a carnal growl erupted from my throat.

"I'm— I'm about to—"

No sooner did I speak did she pull away, smacking her lips as she licked the precum on her fingers.

"Consider that payback for Circe's island, and for abandoning my sister and I to Blackbeard's crew."

Pain flared in my core as the need for release overwhelmed me. If not for my desire to keep Reyna from harm, I would have pounced like a lion and fucked her like a rabbit in heat. Through shaky breaths, I maintained what little composure I had to speak.

"You're going to regret that."

She held her hand to her mouth in a look of mock disbelief.

"Oh, am I?"

I swallowed while cracking my knuckles. Carnal lust flooded my eyes as I crawled forward.

"Why don't you take those shorts off so I can show you?"

Panic crossed her face for a brief moment, only to be replaced by a snide smile.

"Do your worst, Jackson."

She slid her shorts down her legs, revealing a pair of tanned, muscular thighs. Her underwear followed, leaving the both of us naked to the world. Taking a breast into her hand, she leaned back against the arm of the couch, spreading her legs and revealing a moist pair of lips between them.

My hands rested on her thighs, squeezing as the dense muscles rippled beneath my fingertips. She massaged her breast as I pulled myself forward, breathing hot breaths into her virgin snatch.

"Why don't we give you a little kiss first?"

My lips fell on her thighs, dancing around her pelvis. I wrapped my arms under her thighs as she shivered beneath me, kissing the glistening skin of my fellow praetor. She bucked her hips with every contact, grunting in frustration as I teased her.

"Why don't you just— _Oh!_ Ahh…"

Her lips parted as a drunken expression molded onto her face. Drool spilled from her mouth as I dragged my tongue from the base of her nether lips and flicked it off her engorged clitoris. She returned her hands to my shoulders, digging small crescents into my skin with her nails as I suckled on her little pearl.

The mixture of sweat and musk fumigated through the air, filtering through my nostrils in an intoxicating combination. A salty and tart solution dripped from her core into my willing mouth as I drove my tongue to the base of her entrance, rolling her clit in my fingers as I did. I moaned into her tasty snatch, drawing out a long hiss from my newest lover.

After ensuring her pussy dripped with need, I pulled away to gaze into Reyna's eyes. Already dark orbs dilated with lust stared back, a line of blood dripping from her bottom lip as she drove her teeth through it. Her nails dug deeper into my back, forcing a groan from my throat. Though I could see she didn't mean to hurt me, I still found the pain as an excuse to drive her further up the wall. With two fingers, I spread her pussy lips and took a few moments a gaze at the beauty of her snatch. The light from the television shined against the juices of her pink interior, allowing it to glow before me as I approached it with my tongue out, eyes staring at Reyna as I drew closer and closer.

The tang of her juices washed over my tongue as her legs trembled in my arms. Her fingers dragged across my shoulder blades as a drunken smile formed on her lips, droplets of blood cascading down my back as she lost herself to my ministrations.

"Yes," she said, her voice a mere whisper. "Please."

Her eyes sealed shut as I swirled my tongue around the entrance of her pussy, only to push the pink muscle into her depths to scoop out her tangy nectar. Her muscles tensed around me as she moaned out, her fingers no longer in my shoulders, but wrapped around my neck to pull me closer. No further instruction was needed for me to indulge in her honeypot, scooping out as much of her sacred treat as I could before she reached her finish.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, ye— ahh!"

She clamped her legs on me as she curled up, grasping her leg as she hissed with tears in her eyes. I struggled to pull away, but the grip of her thighs prevented my escape. With no other choice, I sucked on her interior, extracting both juices and pained moans from the Puerto Rican beauty.

"Percy," she trembled, "please stop."

The moment her words reached my ears, my actions halted without question. For a few seconds more, my head remained trapped between her legs, only freed as she drew a deep breath.

"Did I hurt you?" Panic swelled in my chest as I rubbed her knee.

She shook her head with strained lips. "Not exactly."

I took notice of where her arms were wrapped around; her calf. Both pride and guilt set in as I brought my hand to the cramping muscle.

"I can help, if you'd like."

She nodded with tears in her eyes as she pulled away, breathing heavy as I replaced her hands with my own. I could feel the contracted muscle remain solid beneath my touch. Cramps, especially in the leg, were nothing new for me. When you spend your summers with teenagers who exercise for a living, you pick up on common issues.

She hissed as I rubbed her calf, dispersing the lactic acid from the area. In a further effort to distract Reyna from the pain, I trailed kisses down her shin, ending only when I kissed the tip of her big toe. Her hyperventilating settled to steady, but heavy, breaths.

"Thank you," she said. "I didn't realize how intense—"

I silenced her with a kiss, still rubbing her legs as she relaxed beneath me. When I pulled away, I settled myself between her legs once again.

"Don't mention it." A devious smile of my own flickered across my lips. "Now, where were we."

Her cheeks flushed as she took her finger between her teeth. Before she could speak, panic flashed across her face.

"_Oh, my goodness!_ What did I do!?"

Her gaze focused on my back. Though I couldn't see the damage for myself, I could imagine what it looked like.

"Does… does it hurt?"

In all honesty, it did. The burning sensation along my back put me an inch away from whimpering like a wounded puppy. The only cooling was provided by the little red rivulettes trailing from the wounds to my waist.

"A bit. But it's not that big of a deal. At least I know you're enjoying yourself."

She held her fist to her mouth as she looked away. "I am, but…" A grimace formed on her lips.

Before she could sulk any further, I pressed my tongue into her folds once more.

"Ah!" She squeaked before her eyes rolled up as a blissful smile pulled at her lips.

I wasted no time enjoying the lewd wetness of her little pussy. The salty taste vanished, leaving only the tangy zest of her juices. Her head swayed as I ravished her folds, falling to and fro before she collapsed on the couch. She convulsed and squirmed beneath me as her sensitive pussy was devoured by my hungry mouth. A guttural growl left my throat as I edged her closer to her climax.

"Please don't… make me… cramp… again…"

She panted and writhed beneath me as I sucked on her clit, running her hands over her body as she lost herself to the pleasure.

My fingers pressed into her slick entrance, her muscled thighs tightening her vagina around the digits. I struggled to move my fingers around, but managed to curl them upward brushing them along the patch of nerves hiding among her riges.

"_Oh!_" Her hands clamped down on my arm, trying to pull me away. "It's… too… much!"

I grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her arms away before suckling on her clit as I continued brushing my fingers along her insides, utilizing a very befitting "come here" motion. Not a moment later, her body went rigid, shivering as a silent scream rippled through the air. Her face contorted as her body shivered, maximizing the intense pressure on my hands as her inner walls locked them in a vice.

The moment passed, and her orgasm faded into a pleasant throb, made apparent by the drunken expression on Reyna's face as she slithered her hands over her body.

"Mmm…" Her lustful gaze fell on me. "Thank you… Master."

I crawled forward, capturing her lips in my own as I slid my hand from her soaked pussy lips, up her belly, and rested it on her breast, squeezing the firm flesh in my grip. She returned the affection with a lazy kiss, letting me slip my tongue into her mouth without hesitation. I pulled away a few seconds later, leaving her lips swollen and red.

"Not 'Master;' praetor."

"Mmm," she sighed through a blissful smile, "I can work with that." She hung her arms around my shoulders. "Well, _praetor_, why don't you fill up my little twat before I leak all over the couch?"

I resisted the urge to laugh. The couch was done for. Wet patches of blood, sweat, and juices caked the fabric, leaving the entire piece of furniture smelling like a salty grapefruit.

"Your wish is my command, _praetor_."

I grabbed my dick by the shaft and brushed the swollen head against her dripping lips. Her breath hitched on contact. With my lips pressed to hers, I pressed myself into her, groaning as her tight insides swallowed my dick, squeezing it like a stress toy. She screamed into the kiss, her arms and legs wrapping around me and locking me in place as I pressed forward. Not a moment passed where I wished to be somewhere else; not a moment passed where I couldn't feel her soaked ridges pulling me deeper.

When I bottomed out inside of her, both of us let out a groan, mine from the vice-like grip of her insides, hers from the full sensation as my cock pulsed inside of her. I held her there, kissing her lips as she returned them with a feverish passion. She bit and pulled at my tongue as she squeezed my body closer to hers, leaving no room for escape. Of course, escaping was the last thing on my mind.

With so little room to maneuver, I grabbed her shoulders to hold myself steady and rocked my hips forward. Not once did I ever leave her tight canal, but the rocking motion rubbed every part of her insides. She squealed and groaned beneath me, her nails returning to my back in a painful, but not entirely unwelcome, embrace. Her hips rolled in response, meeting every motion with one of her own, driving my cock into impossible depths.

I hugged her close, rocking our hips together as her grip around me tightened. Her nails pulled away as she wrapped her arms around my neck for a deep kiss. Our hips never left one another as the rolled together, her tight cunt sucking at my throbbing cock, forever trying to milk it of its contents.

"Don't you dare stop." Her breaths grew labored as we continued our motions, huddled and holding one another as close as we could.

"Don't worry."

I buried my tongue in her mouth as her eyes rolled up, her scleras shining from the light of the television. Her hands tightened around the back of my neck, pulling me closer as we suffocated one another with our lips. The sound of panting and muffled groans filled the room as our hips rocked in unison, never leaving one another and spilling juices all over the couch. Though for the longest time, our pace remained brisk, after so long of our hips in unison, we slowed, settling for strong motions in which we could feel every pulse and throb of our partner.

"Percy, I'm… I'm…"

No further words were spoken before she seized up on the spot, locking her limbs around me as her insides clamped around the shaft of my penis, oozing her juices along my balls. The increase in pressure was too much for me to handle, milking me of my semen as it pulsed in thick ropes.

For a few minutes, we remained their, locked together as our genitals massaged one another even in their climax. I groaned against her throat as she hyperventilated, her breaths matching the spasming of her cervix. When the moment passed, I kissed her throat, trailing them along her jugular until our lips found one another. We remained there, locked in a gentle passion as we both came down from our euphoric highs.

"Thank you." Her dark eyes fogged up with tears, but her smile showed something other than sadness. "Thank you so much."

I pressed another kiss to her lips as her limbs released me from her grip. Even with my newfound freedom, I continued to press myself against her warm body. After spending so long with one another, I couldn't bear the thought of taking off to another room without her. She seemed to share my sentiment, wrapping her arms around me as she pulled me against her shoulder.

"I hope this won't be our last time," I said as I placed a kiss on her collarbone.

A gentle smile formed on her lips as she ran a hand over my ear, circling it under until the tip of her finger rested on my chin.

"You can count on this happening again. But for now, let's get some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow."

I hummed in response, giving her teat onelast suck, pulling away with a pop. With a dumb smile plastered to my face, I used the last of my powers to merge our fluids in a ball and throw it out of a window screen. After exerting the last of my strength, sleep didn't take long to find me. As the last seconds drew nearer, I pulled a quilt off the back of the couch to wrap us up, resting us both against one another. Reyna huddled against me as my eyes closed, readying myself for the second night of sleep away from the island.

* * *

**A/N - And this brings an end to the ever anticipated Reyna chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed it. With Percy away from the island, what will happen next? Guess we'll have to wait and see.**

**So it seems as though my last question did quite well. Now I'm trying to come up with questions that aren't too obvious. For this round I ask: Outside of the mainstream, who is your favorite singer/musician/musical group? In my case, I would have to either pick Leah McHenry or Nightwish. Given that I am in America, neither of these are too popular, much to my dismay. So what about you guys?**

**Little bit of a heads up, with this chapter, I find this to be a good pausing point. My next update will be delayed so that I can give myself time to read the Tyrant's Tomb. After spoiling the Burning Maze while researching for this story, I hope you guys can realize why I would not want to risk that again. As such, the next update won't be for about two weeks.**

**Bit of a shorter author's note this time around. Can't say I'm really complaining, and I doubt you are too. Leave your reviews and give me your thoughts about the scene and what you'd like to see in the future (you know what I mean). Hope you enjoyed the chapter and the question. This is Ronin signing off.**


	38. From Nightmares to Nightshade

From Nightmares to Nightshade

Long ago, I should have made it an effort to grab Hypnos by the beard and slap some sense into him. Why must demigods only ever dream of terrible things or haunting premonitions? Why can't I ever dream of running through a land made of blueberry pancakes and my mom's blue chocolate chip brownies? No. Instead, I wind up with bedwetting nightmares capable of sending the Minotaur running or premonitions that make me even more reluctant to get out of bed than usual.

I found myself floating in the vast inky darkness of everywhere and nowhere. Clouds of prismatic colors shifted within the ebon spanse. Within the vague veils of my dream, I could make out the voices from before. Still, they remained formless and distorted. Still, I found myself incapable of discerning their identities.

"You are playing this awfully close to the chest. They are learning. They are suspecting. Now, more than ever, we cannot afford any mishaps."

"As I recall, I'm not the one who put the bottle in her hands. A 'peace offering!?' Did you honestly expect that to work!?"

"She accepted it without question. After the recent events, she wouldn't dare refuse such an offer."

"Perhaps, but you've grown restless. Besides, now with her aware, it's only a matter of time before they discover us. What then?"

In the distance, I could hear a thunderous rumbling, as if the doors of a mausoleum were slammed shut… with me on the inside. With a start, I realized the third member joined the group.

"Have you what we agreed on?"

"In time. You can't expect overnight results."

Another wave of rumbling, this time from the newest speaker.

"I expect you to make good on your deal. I can't wait to be rid of this ridiculous form. After all, I've offered you my greatest nymphs as a part of this plan. Despite this, I have yet to receive payment."

"You'll get it. Once everything is complete, you'll get your share of power as well."

"Hmph!"

A few moments of silence passed, followed by the loud thrum of a heavy door closing.

"Was it necessary to get him involved? We could have done this without him. Now we have to jump through unnecessary hoops to keep him satisfied."

"Of course! By introducing these whores into the mix, the rift between everyone was all the easier to manage. Lest we forget, Poseidon would have caught on already if he didn't believe he supplied them."

A brief rumble passed, as if the speaker let out a sigh. "I suppose. It does keep things more interesting. But I do hope you have a plan for the girl. After all, your last attempt failed spectacularly."

"Be that as it may, we still have options. Though watching the girl squirm offered me greater pleasure than I've known for centuries, I will not rest until she is brought to her knees, begging for forgiveness."

"Sounds like someone is having bed troubles."

"What else is new? And what of you? Are you enjoying your little game?"

A bright light pierced through the cloud, coating everything in a blinding radiance.

"Oh, yes. This is a tale to be told for ages. His flaw is near nonexistent. Watch how his loyalty sways from one to the next. In time, he'll be the perfect playtoy. But for now, we must ease him into this life. We have an eternity to spare for him to grow bored of his friends. How long will it be until he looks for attention elsewhere?"

Before any other words were spoken, I found myself pulled from the dream, standing on a familiar field of moonlace. Unlike before, the sound of animalistic combat didn't ring out. With the dull tranquility, I took a moment to notice something about the surroundings. Though the field consisted of vast numbers of moonlace, other flowers shown through as well. Lilies, white lilies, speckled the field, shining brightly off the moon to such a degree that they appeared to be moonlace. If not for the silence, I would never have noticed the difference.

I spun around, attempting to take in the sight. Flashes of the animals locked in combat pierced my mind as I strove to find them once more. No signs of conflict revealed themselves. All stood peaceful.

"Be at ease, Perseus."

I whirled around, startled by the voice speaking in my head. As I did, my vision landed on two of the animals from my previous dream. A golden faced owl stared back with startling grey eyes, each as imposing the moon itself. It stood proud on top of the horse from before.

Wait. Not a horse. Though definitely equestrian in nature, the coat of the animal before was far coarser than the hide of a horse. And the face… The snout was not as streamlined, and it's eyes seemed tired. Not at all like any horses I've seen. No. What stood before me was a massive donkey with red flames dancing in its mane.

"We are with you," the voice said. It sounded familiar; relaxing. "You need only say the word, and we will show them the error of their ways."

I couldn't speak; I couldn't nod; I couldn't move. Though I wanted to ask what the voice was talking about, my voice failed me. I couldn't bring myself to call out to them. Though I wanted answers to my confusion, I could only stare as the meadow around me dissolved away, leaving me floating in the darkness of nothing.

Sweat coated my face as I stirred from my sleep. Reyna rested beside me, her face buried in my chest. Through my heavy breathing and trembling body, I couldn't figure out how she remained asleep.

I pulled myself away from the couch, covering Reyna's naked form with the soft quilt. After placing a kiss to her temple, I trudged into the bathroom and flipped on the light. My drowsiness looked all too apparent in my reflection, my green eyes as dark as swamp water, complete with purple veins selling a near undead appearance.

With a splash of water across my face, I attempted to refresh myself. I stared into the mirror to collect my thoughts with my hands pressed to the counter when I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

I turned to see Zoë standing in the doorway, eyes averted and cheeks as scarlet as the sunset.

"Oh, hey. What's up, Zoë?"

She made no effort to look up, instead waving her hand in the general direction of my waist.

"Could thou… please…?"

Little did I realize that I stood before her in all of my naked glory. Even my face started to heat up upon the revelation.

"Crap. Yeah, sorry."

Minutes later, I stood with my shorts back on, though my back stung too much to put on a shirt. Zoë's face never lost the red tint.

"So… Reyna and thou have shared one another."

I leaned back against the sink with a grimace on my face. "You heard everything, didn't you?"

She nodded her head, eyes still averted.

I groaned out, frustrated by my turn of luck. _Of course she, of all people, would be the one to hear us._

"I could not sleep, and with all of the noise…"

She didn't need to finish her sentence. I turned around to look in the mirror, striving to collect my thoughts well enough for an apology. It never came.

A cool sensation on my back made me flinch. From my look in the mirror, Zoë's hand rubbed up and down it, tracing the fresh cuts along the skin.

"I see she enjoyed herself."

I let out half hearted laugh. "You could say that." I groaned as her finger glanced off a particularly deep cut.

"I can help," she said. "If thou wishes it."

I turned around, taking her hand into my own. Once again, her face flushed, but she made no efforts to pull away.

"I appreciate the offer, but I just need a shower and I'll be good as new."

She bowed her head for a moment before setting her jaw. "Please. I wish to help. My methods are far more efficient than a shower."

"I… alright." I turned around to the mirror. "If you want to patch me up, go ahead."

A gentle smile pulled at her lips as she returned her hand to my back. I half expected her to sew me up the old fashioned way, but much to my shock, she whispered words of ancient Greek instead. Her hands glowed an ethereal green and silver, like a blade of grass under the light of the moon. The pain subsided, the burning vanished. Upon turning around and inspecting myself in the mirror, I saw no evidence of my most recent encounter. Jaw slacked, I turned to Zoë.

"I didn't know you could use magic."

She clasped her hands behind her back, turning away with a grimace. "I never liked using it. It is magic of the Hesperides. I know of a few other techniques, but only that which was taught by Artemis."

I thought back to the goddess. The same one who caused our stay in the ranch house for the night. If Zoë could use magic taught by Artemis…

"I won't tell anyone. Not until you're ready. If anyone asks, I took a shower."

She took a sniff and covered her nose. "Thou are certainly in need of one."

"It's not that bad, right?"

Before she could respond, I took a whiff from my underarms. My nose hairs singed by the end of the whiff. It _was_ that bad.

I turned on the sink and summoned the water to me. I let it wash over my body, scrubbing away the caked on dirt, sweat, and… other stuff. As I washed, I looked over to Zoë, whose eyes grew to the size of her former matron's moon.

"I have a feeling you didn't come here only to talk about me and Reyna keeping you up."

A few moments passed before she shook her head, though she appeared lost in a trance.

"Would it, perhaps, have to do with what happened earlier today?"

Her attention snapped to my face, hunching her shoulders and glancing away once our eyes connected. She chewed her lip while nodding her head, an otherwise ungraceful action to the otherwise graceful Hunter.

"I owe thee an explanation."

After sending the water down the drain, I turned around, crossing my arms. For my own amusement, I flexed my biceps, striving to draw the Hunter's attention. It worked. Though she attempted to remain subtle, she couldn't hide her darting glances or reddened cheeks.

"If you're ready."

She remained silent for a few moments more before taking a deep breath, smoothing her shirt with her hands.

"As I said earlier, I no longer serve the will of Artemis. Rather, I serve thy will. I needed to protect thee. I needed to redirect Artemis's attention."

"So this is all business to you?"

"Ye- no… I mean…" She turned away, hands gripping the towel rack as she muttered to herself. "I wish it was only business. It is how I hoped it would remain."

I tilted my head. "What changed?"

She turned to face me with tears in her eyes. "Nothing. And there lies the problem." She placed a hand to my cheek. "Thou are just as loyal and selfless as before I died. With the knowledge that I am to bed thee, I couldn't help but notice…" She turned her head, but held her hand to my face.

"Notice what?"

Her hand fell from my face as a tear rolled down her cheek. As I made an effort to brush it away, she turned her head, as if she enjoyed the sensation of her wettened eyes. When I was certain she wouldn't let me help, I shifted away to give her some room, to which she reached out, but let her hand fall as she did.

"Is this not the right time?"

She turned to me with mortification in her eyes. "No, it is not that. I only…" Her lower lip quivered.

The last thing I wanted to see was Zoë cry, but with how little she gave me to work with, I couldn't figure out how to help. She drew in a breath for a few seconds, letting it slip out only when she calmed herself.

"I have expressed me feelings for thee already." She turned away, grabbing the edge of the counter. "Thou knows of the respect I carry."

"No." I walked behind her, placing her hands on her waist. She hitched in breath and parted her lips as she turned her head to the side, neither looking at me in person or in the mirror.

"Respect is all in the head." I turned her to face me. "What does your heart tell you?"

She brought her fist to her mouth, looking away as she gnawed on her fingers. Rapid breaths passed through her lips, stalled only when her teeth fell upon them. Never before did I imagine the great Zoë Nightshade biting her lips before me, yet here she stood, vulnerable for the first time in her life.

"My heart tells me…" Her obsidian eyes turned to me, locking my reflection in place as both tears and determination shone in them. "My heart tells me to stop talking."

She lunged forward, crashing her lips into mine, taking me by complete surprise. Though lousy in skill, her efforts held true as she adapted to my response, mimicking my kisses until she developed her own style.

The scent of pine flooded my nostrils, overloading me with a refreshed vigor. Through desperate breaths, I returned her work, eager to pleasure her soft lips as she did mine.

Moments later, I pressed her against the wall, knocking aside a plastic trash bin and causing a towel to fall from the rack. In Zoë's efforts to remain her dominant self, she gripped my hair and pulled me in deeper, mewling beneath my lips as we slid to the floor. My hands rubbed along her back, stroking her taut muscles and any locks of her long hair in the path of my fingers.

Before we could reach the floor, Zoë's hand shot out, gripping the edge of a large ceramic bathtub. She hauled us both up, situating ourselves on the ledge as we continued running our hands over one another, our lips nigh inseparable. The sound of her labored breathing echoed across the tiles, ringing as percussive woodwinds in my ears.

My hand slid down to stroke her thigh, but on contact she flinched, sending us both tumbling into the oversized tub. Given that it was meant for Eurytion to bathe, its size didn't surprise me. I winced from the impact, groaning as Zoë settled herself above me. As her lips molded against mine, I couldn't help but notice the sprinkling of tears dripping on my face.

"What's wrong?"

She pulled away, resting herself on my lap, but giving me no room to sit. Tears continued streaming down her face as she drew a breath.

"I have spent the past three thousand years in the service of someone else. Every day, I remained selfless in my service to Artemis. Yet now, here I am, indulging in a selfish pleasure for the first time in my life." She wiped her nose on her sleeve. "And yet, I want more of this. I want more of thee."

An understanding smirk pulled at my lips as I caressed her cheek. She clutched my hand in her own, nuzzling my knuckles as her tears trickled over my fingers.

"It's okay to be selfish every now and then. You can't blame yourself for being human."

"... Human," she repeated. "I don't know what it is like to truly be human. I was raised in a garden before living in the wild. I know nothing of being a _normal_ girl."

The bitterness in her voice showed. With gritted teeth she let her tears fall, showering my face.

"Take pride in that. After all, it makes you unique. You don't have to change who you are to enjoy yourself."

She gripped my shoulder, locking the joint in an iron vice. "But I still want to know what it's like… to be human; to be selfish." Tears trickled off the tip of her nose. "Wilt thou be my guide in this new world?"

I ran my hand across her cheek and circled it beneath her jaw, taking it between my fingers. "Of course."

Zoë fell to my side, locking her legs around mine as she pulled me in for another kiss. This time, I probed her lips with my tongue, earning a confused grunt from her.

"Open your mouth," I said while pecking her chin.

She did as I said, letting me slip my tongue in her mouth. Soft moans left her throat as her eyes rolled up. The pads of her long fingers raced across my chest. My tongue swished around her mouth, caressing and dancing with hers as the warm muscle turned to putty beneath my motions.

None too subtle was a slight action of hers. Not of her hands. Not of her lips. No. With her waist. Much to my surprise, the sensation of rubbing warmed my thigh. A balmy musk permeated through the air, offering a faint sweet odor to my nostrils. Dizziness struck my head. The filtering smell drew a blissful smile to my lips as I deepened our kiss.

Unbeknownst to Zoë, my palm trailed down her warm body, caressing her until it rested on her hip. Even as it they ran to her core, Zoë never noticed my fingers until they rubbed a damp patch between her legs.

She gasped, her hands locking on my shoulders as her body quivered. Wide eyes, like orbs of obsidian, bored into me with both embarrassment and desire.

"It seems like you're all worked up."

She buried her face in my shoulder, shaking her head as her ears turned pink.

"Don't tease me. Please."

I stroked the patch once more with my middle finger, drawing an uncharacteristic whimper from her.

"Were you playing with yourself when you heard us?"

Her face shot to mine, eyes wide but furrowed.

"Playing? What does thou mean by 'playing?'"

My finger froze on the spot, locked in place as the realization of her innocence dawned on me.

"You've never masturbated before… have you?"

Fortunately, she recognized the word. Unfortunately, it drew a sour look across her face.

"I have never needed to. My pleasure was the hunt. Nothing more."

"So you've never…"

Never orgasmed. That's what I wanted to say, but the words stuck in my throat. Much like her half sister, Calypso, she too has spent thousands of years without knowing the pleasures of release.

My hand returned to its position, my palm resting on her pelvis as she unconsciously attempted to hump my leg. The poor girl probably had no idea about what was going on with her body; why it was throbbing, why her core burned with need, why her thighs were caked in sweet smelling juices. My jaw set as I came to the one and only acceptable conclusion.

"I can help you… if you'd like."

Her pupils dilated, eclipsing her scleras until only the obsidian blackness remained. Combined with her Persian beauty, I couldn't help but fall short of breath. All too eager was she to learn about the world of pleasure, yet she knew nothing of why. When her arms curled under mine, hugging me close, the sound of her moans fluttered through the air once more.

"How? How wouldst thou help?"

With the brush of one finger, I answered her question. She whimpered, hugging me closer until my ribs screamed for her to ease her grip. Her pelvis lurched forward, gyrating against my finger until her cotton shorts stretched around it. So close was my finger to being inside of her. If not for the thin barrier between us, nothing would protect her sacred depths from my plundering wiles. Even from the simple stimulation, I could sense her getting hooked; drunk from the pleasure addling her rational thoughts until nothing but a sex addicted shell remained. It hurt, watching my friend collapse to this degree. For nothing more, I wanted to hug her close and not let go, but my sense of duty drove me to give her more of what she craved.

"Would you like more?"

Blackened eyes met my own as she shivered against me. Writhing in pleasurable agony, her body attempted to stimulate itself further, driving her dampened snatch into my finger until the thin cotton threatened to rip under the strain. While gripping my shoulders, she stared at me with desperation.

"Please."

I tilted her head up, bringing her lips closer until I could reach them with my own. Soft warm breaths dusted my upper lip, mixing her pine scent with the sweet musk of her desperate arousal.

"You'll have to take off your shorts. Is that okay with you?"

Frozen in place, her head locked against my shoulder as her arms shivered. Despite her millennia of chastity, she couldn't deny her need for release, especially when her hips thrust forward without her permission.

"Could… couldst thou remove them?"

Her eyes widened in a doey gaze. With a quivering pout and tears threatening to fall once more, I couldn't bear the thought of turning away when she so desperately needed me.

I pressed my lips to her forehead, earning a gentle mew from her as she tilted her head forward.

"Of course."

I extracted myself from her grip, to which she tightened her legs around mine. With a gentle laugh, I pressed a hand to her thigh as she ground her hips against me.

"Take a deep breath and relax your legs."

Frozen in place, Zoë didn't look ready to relax anything. After a minute of silent contemplation, she did as I said. Her legs released me from their deathgrip, allowing me to crawl between them with only a slight worry of suffocation by muscled thighs.

Zoë scooted back, leaning against the rim of the tub, her arms thrown over the edge. Rigid from her head to her waist, her evident fear deterred me slightly. After all, I didn't want to traumatize her. If anything, I wanted the opposite.

"Deep breaths, Zoë. I'm not going to hurt you."

Haggard breaths passed through her lips as she stared at me, each one more raspy than the previous. Through lidded eyes, she attempted to communicate without words, but I refused to go any further without her say so.

"I trust thee, Percy. But it does not make this any less stressful."

I rubbed her outer thigh, placing a kiss on her knee.

"We don't have to do this if you aren't ready."

Fresh tears streamed down her face as her lips quivered. Her hips rolled as the wet patch between her legs increased in size.

"If I do as thou says, I will never be ready. But I want this. I don't know what's happening to my body, and I don't know why I desire thy touch to this extent, but I do. Please, do not leave me here to wallow in my own pains of pleasure!"

In the deepest recesses of my sex addled mind, a single stray thought brought light to the situation.

"It's the veil. You couldn't fight against it, could you?"

Her fists clenched around the edge of the tub, but her shivering body held far more arousal than anger.

"I suppose not. But now, I do not care. Please, Perseus, I beg thee! Help me!"

_Help…_

All I wanted to do was help. Help my friends, my mom, Annabeth. Yet, every time I strive to do something helpful, it always winds up as a mess. Still, Zoë's pleas struck me in a way I couldn't ignore. Her eyes showed the same desperation as Calypso while fused with the panic of Khione. While I would argue that Piper's facial expressions had the greatest effect on me, Zoë wasn't too far behind.

"We won't have sex tonight," I said, "but I will help relieve you."

Her quivering lips pulled into a small smile, but her tears never stopped cascading. One more touch on her thigh and the ripples of pleasure coursed through her muscles, sending small shivers up her spine.

"Raise your hips. It's time to get this started."

Her eyes sealed shut as she nodded, lifting her hips from the surface of the tub to mere inches away from my face. Her sweet aroma permeated the air, slight and fruity, but far from invisible.

I curled my fingers around the hem of the silver cotton shorts, my gaze locked on her face for any sign of repeal. Besides her initial panic, none showed. Inch by inch, I pulled her shorts over her muscled thighs, down her lean calves, and away from her tender feet. Her face lie buried in her hands, a single eye peeking through her fingers as I licked my lips.

Much to my own bewilderment, beneath her shorts lay one of the black thongs Silena selected. Unlike most, it wasn't frilly or lacy. A simple black cotton strip stretched over her soaked vulva and between her firm glutes.

"Don't judge me too harshly."

Zoë held both fists to her mouth, her fingers curled before her lips as her eyes sealed shut.

Pulling away her hands, I offered a comforting smile to her and wiped away a few tears.

"It looks great on you. And I'm saying that with nothing but honesty."

Her eyes widened as her ears turned red. Once coppery skin resembled the color of rust as she brushed her palm over my cheek, new tears dripping from her eyes.

"Are you ready?"

She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. Her arms took up their position on the rim of the tub. With her teeth digging into her lip, she nodded.

Seconds later, her thong lay discarded on the bathroom floor. Before me, tucked between the thighs of the Hunt's longest running lieutenant, a tight slit, smooth as can be, shone caked in the essence of her arousal. No turning back at this point. No walking away. With her need so present and staring me in the face, I couldn't bear the thought of leaving her unsatisfied.

My hands parted her trembling thighs. Calloused fingertips ran along her smooth skin as tight muscles rippled beneath it. With my eyes locked on Zoë's, I blew a cool breath against her little snatch. She bucked her hips in response, a sharp gasp fleeting from her lips.

"Thou wishes to tease me?"

"No." I placed soft kisses along her inner thighs, inching towards her dripping twat, but never touching it. "I want to make this slow and enjoyable for you."

Before she could process my words, my lips descended upon her thighs, each kiss igniting new embers to raise the temperature inside her core. Over time, the stoked flames grew from a smoldering crackle into a blazing inferno of unquenched lust. Across the supple skin, a path of bite marks followed my mouth, each growing closer to her tight nether regions but never quite reaching it.

Following her death, I studied deadly nightshade with Grover as a means to honor her. We even went as far as to plant a small grove of them in the forest by camp. Zoë shared the sweet smell of her namesake, but her poison was far more potent. Not as a means to kill. No; but to addict. As I drew closer, her juices on her thighs entered my mouth, each drop making it more difficult to not ravage her. The subtle sweetness crazed my mind with lustful imagery; each depicting Zoë in a more compromising position than the one before it.

Minutes after I started teasing her, the sweet scent seeping from her little twat drew me too close to leave. Her legs rested on my shoulders as each kiss and nip forced a small whimper from her lips. While chewing on her lip, she stared at me from the side of her eyes as I approached her burning nether regions. The bath floor puddled with her essence, letting off more pleasing aromas.

"Are you ready?"

Her head turned to me with hooded eyes. Through the veil of lust, I witnessed her flash of uncertainty. A twitch in her lip pulled in a frightened quiver. Yet for all of the fear she carried, her desire to have release outweighed it.

"Please."

A moment later, my lips pressed against hers. From her perineum to her clitoris, I kissed every wet parcel of skin I could get my lips on. Each one drew a louder whimper than the one before it as Zoë writhed beneath me.

Not long after, my tongue trailed across her labia, tickling the skin and flicking her folds. In elliptical motions, I drew my tongue around her vulva, letting the soft skin mold beneath my ministrations. My hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer as I turned my attention to the small nub at the apex of her slit, peeking from under its hood.

"Oh, yes!" Her words caught in the raspy breaths of her panting; near silent, yet ringing across the ceramic bath.

Sweet nectar dripped from her tight snatch, free flowing for me to enjoy at my leisure. Her hands shifted from the rim of the bath to my hair. She pulled and kneaded at my scalp to pull my tongue deeper inside of her, yet I refused to penetrate her. Not yet.

"Antsy, are we?"

With lidded eyes rolled up, she chewed her lip as her body trembled. Beneath my tongue, the hunter turned to prey. Her every need relied on me. Her every wish could only be satisfied by my will. And so I willed it.

"Please! I beg of thee! Do not stop thy actions!"

To let her know of my satisfaction, I moaned into her dripping lips, eliciting a toe curling gasp from her. More juices spilled from within her, coating my tongue in the sweet musk. Sticky juices spilled over my tongue, each drop jolting me with a refreshed lust.

She pulled weakly at my hair, tugging with each labored breath. Toes curled and back arched, the pleasure coursing through Zoë seemed all too apparent; as if lightning were shooting through her nerves with every brush of my tongue.

"Mmm, enjoying yourself?"

Zoë's nostrils flared with every breath she took. Drunkenness carved away at her face as she chewed her lips with dreamy smile.

"Very much."

I licked my lips. "Then you'll _love_ this."

My fingers moved to spread her lips, but failed. With my forefinger and middle finger attempting to stretch her labia, less than an inch of her interior revealed itself. If nothing else, one fact came to light: this girl was tight. Given that so little of her pink interior revealed itself, I made do with what showed.

"This is a pretty little pussy you have, Zoë. Nice and sweet too."

Even in her inebriated state, her ears registered my words with no problems. Her cheeks flared, as did her nose. However, if you asked me, the increase in fluids from her little slit revealed how she _really_ felt about the words.

"Crass choice of words."

"Oh?" I gave her insides a small catlick. "Would you prefer I said something else?"

She whimpered, bucking her hips on contact. "Say whatever thou wishes, but please do not stop!"

I said nothing further, instead using my energy to do as she requested. Small licks along the inside of her folds turned to drawn out strokes. Each lap of the tongue circled her inner lips, the flavor of berries ever present on my taste buds.

As a result of her flavor, I couldn't help but moan with my tongue running along her tasty little snatch. Her breathing increased as I did, every nerve of hers set ablaze by the vibrations. With her legs quivering so rapidly around my head, I couldn't resist pushing her to her limit.

"What is thou… Oh! _Mercy of the moon, yes!_"

A single finger barely managed to squeeze itself into her depths. As I reached and brushed along her most sensitive interior nerves, I suckled on her clit. For not even one moment did I pull my gaze away from her eyes. When her finish came, I wanted the sea green of my irises to be the last thing she could recognize. Not too long after did my wish come true.

Through a self-stifled scream, she fell into the throes of her very first orgasm. Her hips bucked in my face, each spasm more powerful than the last. Powerful hands locked around my head as she stared at me with a barely recognizable face of contorted orgasmic bliss. With eyes rolled up and her jaw dropped, her breath stifled itself as she went silent, toes curling and uncurling as her nirvana warped features let off their afterglow.

Five minutes. That's how long it took for her to recover. Disoriented from her recent experience, Zoë attempted to pull herself out of the tub to no avail.

"Here. Let me help you."

She took hold of my outstretched hand without question, a dreamy smile plastered across her face. Though weak in the knees, she managed to redress herself with only mild assistance on my part.

With an arm draped over my shoulder, Zoë hobbled to her room, humming to herself with a chipper tune. A single kiss passed between us as I laid her into bed, the dark room swallowing our action with its shadow. While reluctance remained evident on her face, she allowed her hand to slip away from mine. I wished her pleasant dreams and took my leave of the room.

Sweet nectar remained present on my tongue as I strolled into the living room. However, though the taste slowed the emergence of memories, my dreams resurfaced, all the more prevalent with newfound knowledge.

_Sure, I now know a little bit more, but not enough to help me. Seriously, who are these people. What do they want with me… this time…?_

As my thoughts strayed from one possibility to another, I entered the living room. With my mind clouded by recent events and dreams, I expected nothing more than Reyna on the couch. One could imagine my surprise to discover Thalia sitting on the arm of the couch. Her silver drachma rolled over her knuckles as she watched my approach, electric blue eyes observing my every move.

"Well," she flipped her coin in the air and caught it in her palm, "looks like _someone_'_s_ had a busy night."

Her amused stare did little to unsettle me. Rather, I found myself mildly annoyed by the level of activity through the night. In an effort to steer the subject away from its course, my attention turned to Reyna.

"You redressed her?"

Thalia glanced at the no longer naked Latina on the couch.

"I figured Eurytion wouldn't take too kindly to a naked girl on his couch when he wakes up. By the way, that sports bra was a pain to put on."

Despite her words, the work seemed flawless. If I didn't already know Reyna was naked, I never would have guessed it.

"_You_, on the other hand, should put this on..." She held out my camp tee shirt.

I reached forward to grab it, but she pulled it away with a sly smile.

"... in a little bit."

I raised my eyebrows. "I never took you for _that_ kind of girl."

She shrugged and twirled my shirt around her finger. "What can I say? I like to keep you on your toes."

"Why does that sound familiar?" I muttered to myself.

Thalia ignored my comment and took a seat on the couch opposite of Reyna's. When she settled herself against the arm, she raised her eyebrows and patted the cushion next to her.

Accepting her invitation (read "order"), I took a seat next to her. Not a second later, she turned herself and rested her head on my lap while dangling her legs over the arm of the couch.

I moved my hand to rub her head. Though she shot me an inquisitive look at first, she never told me to stop.

"Looks like you're settling into your role pretty well. Three out of four girls will leave here satisfied."

"To be fair, I don't think Bianca is ready for that extra step."

"Oh?" She ran a finger across my chest. "But didn't you two make out a couple days ago."

I tilted my head with an unamused grimace. "That was different."

"I know. You didn't cop a feel with her or put your head between her legs."

My eyes widened. "You were watching Zoë and me?"

"How could I not?" She pulled herself up and straddled me with her arms over my shoulders. "As loud as she was, I'm surprised the others are still asleep."

Given her nonchalant approach, I decided to push the boundaries a bit.

"Did you like what you saw?"

Her lips pulled into a sly smile. "You're damn right, I did." An instant later, her smile vanished, replaced by a look of concern as she looked away. "Percy… when you do this kind of stuff… do you do it because you have to or… because you want to?"

I leaned my head back. For a few moments, her question festered in my mind.

"If not for the harem, I wouldn't do any of this. Unfortunately, it forced my hand."

She nodded, as if expecting that answer.

"But," I continued, "I can't say I don't enjoy it." My shoulders slumped. "And so I wind up betraying my own code of ethics. Go figure."

She grabbed my chin and forced my eyes to meet hers. "For someone so stuck up about loyalty, you certainly have a very narrow way of viewing it."

"Okay," I said as she pressed my cheeks together. "Please explain."

"Gods, you're hopeless! You think being loyal is about staying faithful to one person."

"It is."

"I'm not saying you're wrong. What I _am_ saying is you're only looking at part of the truth. You've never excelled in loyalty to a single person. Rather, you're loyal to your friends. How is this any different?"

"But I'm still-"

"A person who wasn't loyal to their friends would never compromise their own morals to help them. You believe you have. If anything, that should prove you are still loyal. Maybe not to one person, but to a group. To us."

"I'm doing it because I don't want you guys to suffer."

"Exactly!" Her voice took a gentler tone. "And for you to compromise your own set of values for our sakes, you only prove yourself to be more loyal to us." She rested her palm on my cheek. "You haven't become heartless. You don't view us as some sort of task that you have to get over. If you did, not a single one of us would be a virgin anymore. You let us take our time to be ready for you, and then you make it enjoyable for whoever you're spending time with. If that's not loyalty, I don't know what is."

I stared into her eyes, taken aback by her ruthless, yet gentle, honesty.

"Are you sure you aren't a daughter of Athena? You certainly didn't get that mindset from Zeus."

She glanced upward, as if expecting Zeus to blast me on the spot.

"Even Zeus was drawn to wisdom. Given the fact that Metis is still somewhere inside of him, I guess someone had to inherit the brains."

I shrugged. "I'll take what I can get."

She turned to me with a coy smile. "Then take this."

Without hesitating, she locked her lips with mine. If even for only a minute or two, she steered the kiss in her own direction. Her tongue slipped between my lips and slid over mine. A soft moan passed through her nose. On more than a few occasions, she pulled my lower lip with her teeth, forcing a groan from my throat.

When she pulled away, a crystal thread spanned the gap between us. We let it linger for a brief moment, only for it to break under its own weight.

Thalia leaned her head on my shoulder and took a look towards Reyna.

"Before your little… escapade, you said you wound up with more questions than answers. How did that happen?"

My hands settled on her lower back. After taking a deep breath, I proceeded to tell her about the dream I had in New York.

"Looks like you've been holding out on me." She pursed her lips. "What does this have to do about Reyna?"

After hearing about my conversation with Reyna, along with my most recent dreams, Thalia pushed out her lower lip while stroking her chin. At no point did she ever give any inclination of climbing off of my lap, but I can't say I wanted her to.

"A play for power, revenge, and a game. If those aren't the most mishmashed reasons for teaming up, I don't know what is." She rested her hand on my shoulder. "Unfortunately, all of these line up with too many different combinations of people. About half of the Greek world is out for revenge against us, everyone is trying to claim power, and some just enjoy toying around with us before making the kill."

My head fell. "Not much to go off of, I know. But we do have a lead."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"One of them was the nymphs' trainer, or owner. We find out who he is and we can discover who the other two are."

She pushed out her lower lip. "Makes sense to me. Guess there's a little more than kelp in that head of yours."

My lip twitched. "Well, I can give you something as hard as coral if you want."

She wrinkled her nose. "Okay, if you're going to make a pun, at least make it a good one."

"What can I say," I rested my hands on her hips, "I'm more of an action guy than a talker."

A smirk pulled at her lips, parting only to let her tongue moisten them. "I like the sound of that." She pulled herself against my torso, pressing her lips to my ear. "But as much as I like the idea of having you get between my legs, I think you've had enough fun for one day."

When I felt the pinch of her teeth on my earlobe, my hands grasped her toned buttocks without hesitation.

"Mmm, excited much?"

Labored breaths passed through my nose. With her position exposing much of her body to me, I couldn't resist running my tongue along her neck. At no point did she pull away. Rather, she hugged me tighter and leaned her head back. The bare neck in front of me teased me beyond my limits. Unable to resist the tempting flesh in front of me, I locked my lips on the base of her throat, just above her clavicle.

A cacophony of earnest moans echoed in my ears as I suckled on her skin. Muscled thighs hugged tighter. Without wasting any energy on words, Thalia ground her pelvis into mine. An all too familiar sensation throbbed at my core, a lustful ember stoked to a full blaze.

She pulled away from my torso and rubbed the darkening hickey on her neck. With lips pulled into a smile and electricity flashing in her eyes, she nuzzled my nose until her lips found their way attached to mine once more.

"I think I'll stay out here for tonight." Her lips curled into a smile as she pulled me up. Seconds later, she laid me onto Reyna's couch and rested herself on me.

The moment my back rested on the cushions, a familiar arm wrapped around me as Reyna hugged me in her sleep. An amused Thalia watched on, but said nothing. Rather, she laid herself on top of me, resting her spiky black hair in my chest.

"Sleep tight, Kelp Head."

Before I could respond, a resounding _POP_ echoed in my eardrums. All sensations in my body went numb as Thalia's electricity pulled me into a forced sleep.

* * *

**A/N - Long time, no see, everyone. Here now marks two weeks since my last update, as promised. I'm sure everyone saw a dream sequence coming. After all, Percy isn't exactly on his island, is he? And Zoe... well, let's just say she definitely has a lot going on in her head now. After all, it's not every day that the former lieutenant of the Hunt winds up with a man's head between her legs (and enjoys it). Hopefully, this chapter was worth the wait. Don't want this to seem subpar given how long it's been.**

**On that note, I have a bit of a confession (read "lame excuse"). Two weeks ago, when I last updated, I said I was postponing the update so I could read the Tyrant's Tomb. Well, less than a day after, I read the book cover to cover. Definitely not one of my favorites. I'd put it around the Sea of Monsters as far as quality goes. A decent book, but nothing too memorable. However, there were a lot of events that occurred that definitely impacted future stories I have planned. Anyone who wants those details can message me about it, as it doesn't pertain to this story.**

**Back to the point. While I had two weeks to write this chapter, I wound up getting obliterated at work. Covering the shifts of three other people tends to do that. Unfortunately, my health has been suffering as a result. I won't lie when I say I fear for the quality of the chapters I write now. I often found myself far too exhausted to write coherently, much less with good quality. Because of that, and because my schedule is still up in the air, I am going to take a bit of a break. Nothing too long, I hope. With the hours I've been working, I don't want to risk my future content suffering. I need time to recollect myself and get my health back in order before I start writing again.**

**Let me make this one hundred percent clear; this is a _break_. Not some indefinite hiatus; not a several month pause; and _absolutely not_ a leave of this story. I didn't put in this much time and effort just to leave this story where it is. I'm too stubborn for that. However, I'm not stupid. I know that if I keep going down the road I'm currently on, my writing quality will deteriorate along with my health. I can't risk that any longer.**

**Trust me, I don't want to do this. Unfortunately, I've reached a level of brain fog where I can't even figure out most day to day work, much less my writing. I've been upfront with everyone and I don't want to lose the relationship I have with everyone here. If anyone wants to talk, I answer all of my PMs. Take it from those who have messaged me, I don't give half baked responses. It doesn't matter what you want to talk about: the story, Rick Riordan's work, your life story, any struggles going on; I'll listen to them all. Just know that it may take me a bit to respond. There have been instances recently where I've been asleep for up to sixteen hours in a day (yes, that's how screwed up my health is at the moment).**

**I don't know how long this break will be, but by this time next month, there will be another update. While I don't have it written, I can tell you that something happens during the next chapter that is _very_ important. What is it? I guess we'll have to wait and see.**

**On to the questions. This time, I want to do something a little... different. One thing I've seen a fair bit of praise about is how I approach the psychological aspect of the harem and keep everyone as in character as possible. Well, what I ask for this time is recommendations. Lately, I've tried looking through different shows and stories that have a harem within it so that I can get a better read on the nuances of how different characters approach them. Keep in mind, I'm not referring to fanfiction, as most writers blow out the character traits' kneecaps and teabag them. On to the question. What harem stories would you recommend I read and/or watch? I need my research, and I can't find anymore of decent quality. With a few exceptions (Like Highschool DxD and Rosario + Vampire), most of the stuff I find is absolute crap. I'm willing to try anything at this point. Books, cartoons, anime, manga; hell, I'll even try hentai if it is good quality. I know the whole "research purposes" joke is overdone, but I actually do use it for research. I use this story as proof. So, let me know what you guys recommend. You can tell me through PMs if you don't want to publicly announce what kind of stuff you watch and read. I promise I won't tell.**

**You know, it's been a long time since I've done this, but the timing seems fitting. To all new followers, hello. I've been there to see the name of every new follow and favorite. Trust me, some of you have some rather... interesting names (like I'm one to judge). The same can be said to all of the guests, even those who don't review. On that note, while I love all you guys, there is one follow that nearly gave me a heart attack. To Henry James Locker, the proprietor and "Emperor" of the island harem story, I welcome you. Thank you for taking the time to give this story a read. I hope it's to your liking. The same goes to everyone. I know this seems like a poor time for me to take a break, but this story mixed with my work life has left me a mere shell of my former self. Once I'm back to my normal self (as normal as I _can_ be), I'll continue giving you guys the story you all want to read. At this point, we're approaching two hundred fifty thousand views. Honestly, I don't think I've ever held this much attention in my life. At this point, I'm beyond proud of how far we've come. Still, that doesn't change my exhaustion.**

**With all of this said, I bring this obnoxiously long author's note to an end. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and found the content worth the wait. With so many people counting on me for more content, I hope I can deliver something that appeals to each and every one of you. We still have a long way to go for this story, so we have a long time to spend together. Leave your reviews (and suggestions) and let me know what you think. What other content would you like to see? I promise, I'll try to stay open minded, as long as it isn't on the banlist (I've seen some suggestions that go against the rules in place, and I've already relented enough by adding Artemis). I hope to see you guys when I'm in better health soon. As always, this is Ronin signing off.**


	39. Rachel Spreads the Knowledge

Rachel Spreads the Knowledge

While for some guys, waking up between two beautiful girls capable of crushing your skull may be a fantasy (who am I to judge?), all I could think of when I woke up was _Please get your elbow out of my liver!_

Reyna still rested in front of me, clutching my body in her arms in an overheated embrace. Thalia lied on top of me, her arms bent at weird angles in an effort to hold me, but only managing to bruise my spleen. As much as I love waking up with multiple partners in my arms (did I really just say that?), I'll take a bed over a couch any day.

"Took you long enough."

I peeked up to see Bianca watching us with her arms crossed.

"Morning." I looked at the two warriors grabbing me. "Uh, I'd give you a hug, but—"

"Yeah, I got it."

Her attention turned to the window, to which she traced invisible pictures with her finger. Call me crazy, but I think I heard a pang of jealousy in her voice.

For a few minutes longer, I remained immobile. Only when Thalia stretched out with a throaty yawn did everyone stir. Thalia wasted no time kissing me; a lazy wave of static followed her across my chest.

"Morning, Kelp Head."

"Morning, Pinecone Face. I think it's safe to say we could all use a good mouth cleaning."

Reyna groaned, pulling her sandwiched arm from between Thalia and myself. "Speak for yourselves. _Someone_ smells like a field of dead flowers after a thunderstorm."

After everyone got situated and ready, Eurytion entered the room with a massive yawn. "Haven't slept this late in years. Y'all want some breakfast before we head out?"

While I wasn't a fan of his vegetarian approach to cooking, my stomach rumbled at the thought of food.

"Only if I provide my kill as a food source."

All attention turned to Zoë standing at the doorway, whose arms looked as though she spent her night on the wrong side of a meat market.

"And where _exactly_ did you get that kill?"

The former Hunter curled her lower lip. "A forest. Thirteen miles east of here. The buck was wild, not a ranch animal."

Eurytion heaved a sigh. "Alright. I can't complain. That's where I get the animals for my carnivores." He turned to the rest of us. "Venison sausage good for y'all?"

I turned to the smug Hunter with only one thought in mind. _Gods bless you, Zoë._

* * *

While waiting for breakfast was an absolute nightmare, it gave me ample time to discuss things with the other girls. News of my dreams from the night before put every one of them on high alert. What confused me the most was learning that not a single one of them dreamt of anything. How that worked, I have no idea.

As the smell of grilled venison filtered through the air, I turned my attention towards Bianca, who still seemed peeved from the little scene on the couch. Though Thalia tried to remain at my side, a certain phoenix made himself far too much of an annoyance for her to stay successful.

"What do you want? Are you hungry?"

Cinder chirped excitedly and danced around at Thalia's feet. Before Thalia could make any further comment, I took my leave and settled myself next to Bianca, eager to figure out her recent envious development. She attempted to mask her feelings with apathy, but her fidgeting hindered any effort. Before too long, she buried her face in one hand while waving the other around.

"Zoë told me about last night."

If my surprise could show any clearer, I don't know how. "Why would she…?"

"If it helps, she said she really enjoyed it."

I turned to Zoë. Even though a smile was difficult to see on her, nothing could reap the image of her drunken stupor from my memory. On occasion, a slight tug at her lips presented itself, but never for more than a few seconds.

"Something's telling me you wish she kept it to herself." I turned back to Bianca.

She looked away, tugging at flakes of dead skin on her palm. "I guess you could say that."

I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look at it this way, when the time comes, you know I will try to make it enjoyable for you. If Zoë, of all people, enjoyed herself, you can too."

A small twitch in her lips proved my words fell on listening ears. "You have a point. Still…" She gazed towards the ceiling, lost in thought. "How should I expect it?" Her gaze returned to me. "Rough and fast? Slow and gentle?"

I rubbed her shoulder. She made no effort to remove my hand. "That depends on you. Again, I want to make sure you enjoy it as much as possible."

The grin pulling at her cheeks told me I gave her the exact answer she wanted to hear. Before I could say anymore, Eurytion announced that breakfast was ready.

* * *

Following the closure of our breakfast, Eurytion gathered up a few of his limitless sacks and filled them with staggering quantities of raw materials. Lumber, stone, jars of mortar; nothing was left behind if he thought it held some use. Already sweating from the morning heat, the rest of us stood outside without a complaint.

By the time Eurytion returned to us, a trio of pegasi trotted before our merry band.

_Yo, boss! Mission successful?_

A smile crept at my face. "Yeah, you could say that. Say hi to Cinder."

He knickered in confusion. _Say hi to… Holy horse feed! Where did you find a phoenix!?_

Porkpie and Guido both shied away from our new friend, much to Cinder's evident dismay.

"Come on guys, he's not going to hurt you."

If that wasn't enough of a deterrent, try telling them a giant needed a ride.

Guido whinnied. _You're kidding, right? You all have fun figuring out who's giving him a ride. I'm taking my rider to the island._

_Hold up,_ Blackjack said. _Who said the Roman girl was _your _rider?_

Guido whinnied in laughter. _She saved you, but I adopted her. Besides, you still have Lord Percy._

_I know, but—_

"Don't get greedy, Blackjack," I said. "Give your buddies a chance to carry some good pegasus riders."

Even though she didn't understand a word of the conversation, Reyna gave me a knowing smile and mounted Guido. Zoë and Bianca followed suit, each climbing on board Porkpie.

"Um, Percy." Thalia tugged at my sleeve. Despite the sweltering heat, she looked pale. "Could I… could I ride with you?"

I didn't even bat an eye. "Of course. Hop on."

When Thalia and I both saddled on Blackjack, she locked her arms around me in a shivering deathgrip. Though I could barely breathe, I still managed to keep a straight face. All attention turned towards the one person without a ride.

"Uhh, I don't think any of them can carry you. No offense."

Eurytion snorted. "Didn't expect them to. Y'all go ahead. I have a few favors with Hephaestus I can call in."

A sly smile crawled across my lips. "I have a better idea."

After letting out an ear splitting whistle, I waited for any sign of the receiver. Moments later, every shadow coating the area around a tree thickened into an inky cloud. From the darkness, my favorite pet emerged.

"Well, I'll be damned. You have a hellhound too?"

"Eurytion," I said, "meet Mrs. O'Leary."

My oversized pooch tackled me off of Blackjack in a mass of fur and slobber, nearly taking both my horse and Thalia with us. For a solid three minutes, I struggled to breathe as Mrs. O'Leary nearly crushed me under her weight. After calming her down and patting her head, I turned to Eurytion.

"She can carry you with no problems. We'll fly with Cinder, you can get ahead of us."

A gleam shone in his eye. "Can do. So, where is this island of yours?"

"Leave the location to me."

I whispered into Mrs. O'Leary's ear. Though I'm not sure how much she really understood, her excited spinning and barking (which may or may not have deafened everything within a mile radius) gave me the impression that she knew what to do. Eurytion climbed aboard, and after Mrs. O'Leary walked in circles while sniffing the ground, he and my megadog vanished into the shadows.

Minutes later, the rest of us soared through the clouds with Cinder following right behind. Through the whole ride, Thalia cursed to herself and squeezed until my ribs bruised over. Despite that, I couldn't help but find the irony of her fear both entertaining and somewhat cute. With all of the things I've fallen down, I couldn't help but find her phobia backwards. If anything, _I_ should be the one who was afraid of heights.

_Three cheers for Thalia for taking one for the team!_

* * *

By the time Galínios came into view, a small mass of bodies gathered on the shoreline. Though I wasn't opposed to a welcoming party, this would be the first time I've seen one in the past few days.

Upon our arrival, Piper and Hazel greeted us, along with half of the nymphs. While I can say I found it endearing that they would meet us, their grave expressions told me much more than I wanted to know.

"What happened?"

In my immediate thoughts, I pictured Annabeth six feet under. After all, with her recent… incident, I couldn't help but think of the worst.

"We're not entirely sure," Hazel said.

"Where's Annabeth?"

"She's recovering," Piper said. "The nymphs have been taking very good care of her."

I turned to the group of nymphs. To no surprise, Palírroia stood among them. Along with her were Rose and Ashe. Given how little I saw of the latter, I couldn't help but find myself surprised by her presence. However, it wasn't the time to acknowledge our recent lack of time together.

"Thank you, all of you. We'll have a visitor who is going to build us some stables. Hazel, could you go see if he needs any help? I'm sure your powers over the gems will be invaluable."

She tilted her head in confusion. "I can do that, of course. But my powers over it aren't what they used to be."

"Every bit helps. Finding him shouldn't be too hard. Just look for an eight foot tall man riding a ten foot tall dog."

With no further discussion needed, Hazel nodded and left. My attention turned to Piper. The Hunters, Reyna, and I all stood ready for the bad news.

"What is it this time? Did Khione break out?"

"No, it's nothing like that. It's just…" She fidgeted with her pockets. "Percy, I think this is more for you to know. From what I know, this may be more personal for you."

My fists clenched as perspiration dotted my forehead. "Alright." I turned to my recent party of ranch explorers and the nymphs. "You guys go ahead and do what you want. I'll see you at dinner."

Without waiting for their input, I took my leave and followed Piper into the house.

"What's with the bird?"

I glanced over to find her still looking at the ground.

"That's Cinder. He's a phoenix who we recently adopted. Or rather, he adopted us."

Before she could offer any further commentary, I grabbed her shoulders and hauled her around an isolated corner.

"What happened?"

"It… it's Rachel."

A chill went down my spine. After she and I spent some time together, I left her to sleep in.

"What about her?"

She looked away. "We're not sure. She was fine until dinner. Then she started screaming out of nowhere that she had a migraine and ran to her room. We've tried getting her out, but she refuses to open the door. My charmspeak won't work. Neither did Hazel's Mist control. We couldn't even unlock her room with any of the keys."

In a long forgotten parcel of memory, the fluttering dream of May Castellan popped into my head; the very day she elected to bear the curse of the Oracle. One moment she was fine. The next…

"Of course it's when you leave me in charge that things go haywire." Piper folded her arms against her body and attempted to shrink away.

I grabbed her chin and tilted her head up so her eyes looked into mine. "Listen to me, this is _not_ your fault. If this is what I think it is, I should never have left."

Her cheeks flared, but she made no effort to pull away. "I… I think I know what's going on, but I'm not sure. After all, it's only happened one—"

_CRASH!_

Piper and I both shot our attention to the sudden noise. One look at each other and nothing more needed to be said. I squeezed her hand and rushed towards Rachel's room.

* * *

As I arrived, a familiar sour smell filled my nostrils. The rancid odor of snakes permeated the area until my eyes burned.

_Why is the Oracle of Delphi so obsessed with snakes? Apollo, we need to talk about your obsession…_

"Rachel?"

_CRASH!_

A decrepit groan reverberated through the door. The smell grew stronger as a green mist crawled from under the entryway.

I banged on the door, but to no avail. When I could bear the thought of the Oracle hurting Rachel no longer, I went for broke and stepped away from the door. A moment later, my heel drove into the door, right next to the accursed lock.

_When in doubt, kick it._

With my heel planted on the ground and my body leaning forward, it took a grand total of five kicks before the door gave in and swung into the room. How no one else heard me and came running is anyone's guess. With everyone aware of Rachel's current state, I would have imagined people swarming the hallway by this point.

Not a second later, I bolted into the room and scanned the area for Rachel. All around, signs of a struggle were apparent. Overturned chairs and feathers covered the floor. Across the walls, black and purple paint coated the once beautiful mural. Oh, and there was the green mist clinging to the floor.

When my gaze landed on Rachel, a moment of terror locked me in place. She lay in the fetal position, convulsing on the ground as mist spewed from her mouth. Her eyes glowed a vile green. Around her body, the mist thickened and coiled around her like a python constricting its prey.

A second later, the terror vanished and was replaced by a sense of rage and urgency. If that Oracle hurt my Rachel, no amount of intervention by Apollo would save her.

"Red?"

I pulled her up and hugged her shivering form. She groaned in agony as the lights in her eyes grew brighter. Beads of perspiration dotted her ever paling skin. Gray formed on the ends of her hair as the color seemed to sap away through the roots. Ever louder did her groaning get as her convulsions grew more intense.

And then she went still.

Not ten seconds later, she let out a bone rattling scream. The hissing of a thousand serpents coiled into my brain as her body twisted into unnatural shapes.

I attempted to hold her, keep her from hurting herself. Yet, with every minute of struggling, the severity of her thrashing increased. In my desperation, I failed to notice the chorus of hissing voices in my head.

_Locked away in this maiden's soul! Free us! Break the seal of her voice and lift us to salvation! Free us!_

"The seal of her voice," I repeated.

As wrong as it felt, I went for the only option I could deduce from their words. In my desperate attempt to help her, I drove my lips against her in an animalistic fury. The rancid odor of snakes grew stronger as the green mist traveled from her mouth to mine. In my head, the haunting voice of the oracle spoke.

_Serenity falls to the waves of lust,_

_And beneath its waters shall its master be thrust,_

_Once lovers, now tyrants, by a rivalry, strained_

_By dragging tides and tempests through trials of pain,_

_To rise or fall, shall the master's will yearn,_

_Or watch the coming of serenity to burn,_

_By embers ablaze will the mark hold true,_

_And the lord will fall by his lover's virtue._

Before I could process her words, everything went silent. Rachel stopped shivering as her color returned to her body. The mist dissipated. At long last, everything seemed normal, minus the still destroyed room.

Seconds turned to minutes as I waited for Rachel to wake up. Out of a gnawing fear that she wouldn't, I laid her in bed and held her hand.

An all too beautiful sound rang out as she gasped for air, launching herself forward before I caught her. Wild eyes met my own as a new type of mist clouded her vision. Not a moment later, she rushed forward to hug me as she sobbed into my shirt.

"Shhh," I whispered, "I'm here. You're safe."

In the back of my mind, the festering thoughts of rage boiled and simmered. Even after everything we've been through; all of the wars, all of the pain, all of the misery; we still couldn't escape it. Even on an island locked away from the world, in a paradise to indulge in an eternity of pleasures, we were still given _another gods damned prophecy._

* * *

**A/N - Not to worry, everyone; I'm still alive. Not quite back at one hundred percent (I'd estimate high seventies to low eighties), but I'm more or less back in the groove of things. On that note, I hope my writing quality didn't deteriorate with the near month that's passed.**

**So, what were your thoughts on the chapter? Honestly, this chapter got postponed by the Texas visit, so the timing may seem a little weird, but it's the best I could do without mixing around everything else. I know that since we're around the halfway point a prophecy seems weird, but it was intended to show up much earlier.**

**With all of the time that's passed, I hope I can get a good question in here... Hmm... Okay, got it. If you could use a song lyric to describe this story, what would it be, what song is it from, and who is it by? In my case, I'd pick "In the meadow of sinful thoughts, every flower's a perfect one" from She is my Sin by Nightwish. I don't think I need to explain why. Hehe. So what's your pick?**

**On the note of questions, I regret my last one. I watched every recommendation, and then proceeded to fall into an anime rabbit hole. I found it a lot like Fan Fiction, most of them wind up discontinued. My need for completion was not happy.**

**Speaking of completion, in an effort to get my "spark" back, I started rereading this story from the beginning. Honestly, I found myself a little disappointed with it. There's so much I could add, so I intend to do so. Even the disclaimer is outdated. As such, from this point forward, my updates will be biweekly with every other week updating a new chapter from the beginning. The content and story won't change a bit, but structure and small inclusions are what I seek to make changes with. Yes, this also includes my less than popular chapter with Annabeth. But the way I see it, this kind of work lets me take a break from overworking myself while still making progress with the story. Hopefully, you guys don't have too big of an issue with it.**

**Well, I'm in a rush, so I've got to get to work. Leave your reviews and comments to let me know what you think. It's been nearly a month, so I expect to hear a lot of "What took you so long!?" Busy life, my friends, busy life. As always this is Ronin signing off.**


	40. On the Wrong Side of the Bottle

On the Wrong Side of the Bottle

Calming down Rachel's hyperventilating took longer than expected. For nearly half an hour, she wept into my shirt. If not for my abilities to remain dry, I would have been drenched within the first five minutes, but the water rolled off my body and clothes as though they were lined with beeswax.

For better or worse, the words of the Oracle seared themselves into my brain. Despite her recent demonic trance, Rachel's body showed no signs of damage. Rather, any harm on her was a result of the endless supply of tears. She blubbered and sobbed into my chest as she pulled at my shirt. Not a moment passed when I wasn't rubbing her head or her back while comforting her to the best of my abilities.

In my cesspool of a brain, I puzzled together the cruel ploy of mixing the Oracle on the island. In this domain, _my_ domain, the only way to allow a prophecy to take place is to give access in such a way that only I could hear it. Until that point, Rachel would suffer from every prophecy yet to come.

I trembled along with her, though for very different reasons. As my body raised its temperature by a few degrees, I could only think of drowning the Oracle's spirit in the venom of its own snakes.

"Get some rest," I said, holding her body close to mine.

With a sniffle, she pulled away. Bleary eyes met my own as she wiped her runny nose with her sleeve. "We have to tell everyone about—"

"We will. Not right now, though. At dinner, we'll let everyone know. In the meantime, get some sleep."

She agreed without much more resistance. By the time I reached her door, she already lie bundled in her blankets. I took one last look at her room. Black and purple paint coated most of the area, as though Rachel went on a frenzy to undo her work. Still, I couldn't fathom a guess as to why she would do so. With slumped shoulders, I left her room and closed the door behind me.

* * *

For as long as I knew her, Annabeth had the answers to just about everything. If she didn't, she would make sure the answers didn't elude her for long. Still, there were a few times where she'd wind up on the hopeless end of a problem. More often than not, Rachel was involved in one way or another. This time around, I felt would be no different. After all, a single line gave me no comfort in her advice, unfair as it may be.

_The lord will fall by his lover's virtue._

Why couldn't I get those words out of my head? Never would I consider them to be about me, but given my title above everyone, along with Annabeth's recent… situation, I couldn't help but feel a pang of fear against her. Whether or not my fear was justified, I couldn't tell you. After all, when you throw mind control into the equation, things tend to change.

Regardless of her role in the prophecy, I couldn't deny that I needed her input. As I came to terms with my thoughts, the door to my room stood before me. Without allowing any time for second thoughts, I pushed the door open to see my girlfriend.

On the bed, Annabeth lay in cold sweat. Palírroia and Ashe stood at her side, the former wiping a warm cloth along Annabeth's head as the latter rubbed a viscous liquid across her body. My heart sank as I watched the two of them work. Annabeth shivered, her lips blue and her skin pale. Each breath seemed too slow and strenuous for her to take.

_This!? This is the woman who is supposed to be the cause of my fall!? I refuse to believe that!_

With my hands shaking, I strode over to Annabeth and took my place beside Palírroia. She offered me a solemn smile and continued her work. Ashe gave me no such courtesies. Rather, a deep scowl formed on her lips as she watched me. Seconds later, she returned to rubbing the tar-like liquid onto Annabeth's skin. Every few seconds, she winced, as if touching Annabeth caused her a great deal of pain.

Annabeth lay awake, yet she didn't acknowledge my presence, or anything for that matter. Glazed eyes stared at the ceiling as she remained immobile.

I took her hand in my own and offered a few silent prayers. When my mind could take no more of the inaction, I turned to Palírroia.

"How can I help?"

"Well," she said, "her blood still has too much alcohol in it. She needs to stay hydrated, but we cannot risk having her drink anything."

"Why not?" My grip tightened on Annabeth's hand.

"We cannot risk having her choke on anything. Any kind of hydration would have to be directly injected into her blood. Perhaps… perhaps your powers over water could be used to filter the water through her skin?"

For a few seconds, I considered my options. When I took into account that she seemed to know what she was talking about, I decided her choices were the best to follow. After all, what other choice did I have? Sit here and wait? Inject her with water and use my powers to flood her bloodstream? Right, try doing that without causing any interior damage…

"I'll be right back."

* * *

As if the Fates knew I was in a hurry, a distraction (or blessing) slammed into me head on in the form of Katie. While turning a corner, the two of us collided, but I caught the corner in one hand and her with the other before we could fall.

Katie held the bridge of her nose and looked up to me with a mildly annoyed stare.

She groaned. "That was both painful and oddly romantic."

"Sorry," I said. "In a rush."

As I began to move past her, she caught my wrist before it could leave her waist.

"It's Annabeth, isn't it?"

Just hearing her name was enough to bring tears to my eyes. After seeing her in her detached state, oblivious to the world, the pain of what could happen rocked my spirit back and forth until it nearly detached from my body.

My action was enough of an answer for Katie. She tightened her grip. "If only those nymphs would listen to me."

I turned to her. "What?"

Her gaze hardened. "My mom is the goddess of agriculture. While she's no Dionysus, alcohol is one minor part of her specialty. After all, what's wine if not fermented grapes?"

I remained silent for a few seconds. "So you know of a way to help Annabeth?"

"One method, yes." She pulled me back to her and placed her hands on her hips. "What are the nymphs making you do?"

"I'm getting some water to flush her bloodstream."

"Huh… seems like they know what they're doing after all. Still…" She fumbled in her jean pocket as she struggled to pull something out of it. Once successful, she presented me with a small pill. "Calypso and I made this yesterday. The nymphs refuse to take it, but it can help Annabeth."

"... What is it?"

"Milk thistle and garlic, along with some other vitamins. Everything in it, Calypso and I harvested in the garden. I know they're worried about her choking, but with you helping, maybe they'll be more relaxed about it."

Without any hesitation, I grabbed the pill from her hand. Not a moment later, I pulled her into a tight hug and thanked her profusely before taking off towards the kitchen.

For the gazillionth time, I swiped a glass of water. For the gazillionth time minus one, I didn't drink anything inside of the cup.

* * *

"Are you certain about this, Master?" Palírroia eyed the pill warily.

"I can keep her from choking without any issues, and I trust Katie's judgement. If she thinks this can help, then I'll do everything I can to make sure it works.

"Of— of course." She turned to Ashe. "Could you hold her mouth open?"

Ashe tensed on the spot and let out languished sigh. A moment later, she opened Annabeth's mouth, flinching as her fingers made contact.

I frowned at her actions, but decided it wasn't the time to address them. Rather, I approached Annabeth, who offered no indication that she saw me, or felt anything. With shaky hands, I placed the pill in the glass of water and tipped it into her mouth.

For about a second, things remained silent. The moment the water reached her throat, she coughed and spluttered. Grey eyes widened in panic as she thrashed her arms around. Small whimpers left her throat, muffled by the aquatic contents within it.

To hold her steady, I mounted her belly and held her arm closest to Ashe down. Palírroia held down the other. My remaining hand pressed against her throat. Through her thrashing and whimpering, I couldn't help but leak a few tears as I pulled the water and pill down her throat, taking extra care not to further hurt her. When I was certain that the pill rested in her stomach, I pulled away from her and brushed a hand over her brow.

"Come back to me," I whispered with tears in my eyes.

She didn't puke; that was a plus. However, the far off gaze in her eyes didn't comfort me. Palírroia and Ashe resumed their previous actions. Ashe glared at me, clearly upset that I smeared off the coating on Annabeth's torso.

"What is this stuff?" I gestured to my stained pants.

Ashe frowned. "A substance that can extract toxins from the body… including alcohol."

The gruff tone in her voice didn't surprise me, but I couldn't rationalize why she eyed me with such disdain. After recalling my talk with Reyna from the evening before, I decided to discover the truth before the day was over.

"How long should we expect before it works?"

"This would be her third coating," Palírroia said. "We switch it every few hours. Fortunately, we have removed most of the alcohol, but there is still a harmful amount in her."

"Seriously? What altogether was in that bottle?"

Palírroia glanced downward. "To my knowledge, Olympian wine is intended to be watered down one hundred times over. It is quite concentrated to say the least."

I stared at her, taken aback by this new revelation. If not for her natural constitution as a demigod, Annabeth would have been dead the moment the alcohol went down her throat. No wonder the aftereffects were so horrid.

My hand tightened on Annabeth's. "You two take good care of her." I shot an imploring look towards Ashe. "Please."

For a split second, shock crossed her face. The moment she realized it, she snapped her focus towards Annabeth. "Of course… Master…"

"I'll be back in about an hour." I pressed a kiss to the side of Palírroia's head, to which she offered me a loving smile.

After changing into a new pair of jeans (much to Palírroia's subtle enjoyment), I took my leave of the room and headed outside.

* * *

Long before I found Eurytion, his progress revealed itself bit by bit. A hewn path of soft soil lined with cobblestones formed an immaculate landing strip for the pegasi. A massive open range pen crowned a nearby hilltop with a stone and oak crenellation. By the time I reached him, he and Hazel were in the cave, hard at work constructing the hippocampi stables.

"Now _this_ is what I call impressive."

Eurytion shot me a smug look over his shoulder and resumed carving a post out of the limestone. Hazel flashed a cheeky smile as she constructed an oceanic mosaic with nothing but gemstones. Everything glittered in the cave as the water refracted the light of the gems.

"We should have hired him a long time ago," Hazel said.

"I can't argue with you about that. Now I can let Blackjack know his friends are all set." I turned to Eurytion. "Seriously, thanks for the help."

"Don't even worry about it." He set a pillar into place along the mosaic. "Feels good leave the ranch every once in a while." After centering the pillar into the coral floor, he clapped his hands and wiped his brow. "Be back in a bit. Need some more mortar."

As he left, I turned my attention to Hazel, who finished setting an obsidian stone to complete the pupil of a mosaic unicorn. Given her limited supply options, the intricacy of her left me slack jawed for a good while.

"You and Rachel should team up sometime," I said. "You two could work miracles."

While still turned away from me, she hunched her shoulders and shook her curly mane of hair as a few gems popped out from underneath her.

"You give me too much credit." She peeked over her shoulder. "Speaking of which, how is she?"

"Better now. I'll explain everything at dinner." I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "It looks like we're about to have a very… taxing next couple of days, if not longer."

She nodded her head and remained quiet as a few more gems sprung from the rocky soil. "You know, building this place… it reminds me of the day we met."

I cocked my head to the side, which inadvertently caused it to pop. "How?"

"The war games," she said. "Underground with you. I knew exactly where I was going, yet _you_ were the one thing that I couldn't wrap my head around."

I scratched my head. "Sorry for being an inconvenience?"

"No, I didn't mean—" She fanned her hand over her face. "I meant when I first met you, everyone around us called you _graecus_. Now, everyone calls you Master. What I can't wrap my head around is how my preconceived idea of either title falls flat when describing you."

A few seconds passed as I registered her words. "I'll take that as a compliment. After all, I like being the one who proves himself to others."

She outstretched her arms and waved her hands back and forth. "You don't have anything to prove to me. Just listening to the nymphs gave you enough of an alibi."

"Really?" I held a fist to my lips as I glanced towards the cavern ceiling. "Not to come across as shallow, but… what exactly do they say?"

Her cheeks reddened and her fanning motions quickened their pace. "Um… Well…"

"You know what, never mind. Others have said that. I just got curious."

"No no, it's fine. Well…" She took a deep breath, but continued fanning her face. "Explicit details aside… they've said you're kind and gentle; understanding…"

"You wouldn't think that if you saw me a few minutes ago..."

"I beg your pardon?"

I told her about my recent medical trio with Annabeth, and how I forced a pill down her throat. By the time I finished, she clutched her hand to her own throat and darted glances anywhere away from me.

"I… I understand why you did what you did. She needs help."

"Yeah, well, try explaining that to Ashe."

"Who?"

"She's the only nymph I haven't… been with." My cheeks flushed. "On the very rare occasion that I see her, she only scowled at me."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "But… every other nymph does nothing but praise you… why would she…?"

"I don't know. Sure, I'm not expecting everyone to like me right off the bat, but still…"

"If it's any consolation-" she fanned her face "-I think you're doing a great job so far. All things considered."

I snorted. "In what sense? The only thing I'm doing successfully is plowing my way through everyone here."

I mentally slapped myself for not choosing a more… delicate choice of words.

Hazel went red in the face as a fresh round of gems sprouted beneath her. She was beyond the point of fanning her face and turned to hugging her sides.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay. Trust me, I understand. From what I've heard, you've done quite well with the others."

"Others? Wait, so you guys actually talk about everyone's experiences with me?"

She pressed herself against the wall and looked away. "Well… sometimes. After all… everyone is thinking about it."

I pressed my fingers to my eyes and rubbed them. "Look, I didn't mean to pry. I just wasn't expecting-"

"It's okay." She remained against the wall.

Before things could get any more awkward, I searched my brain for any way to change the subject.

"So… that mural is looking really nice. Think you could show me how you made it?"

The small smile she offered showed a great deal of relief towards the subject change, but she still seemed guarded.

"Of course."

After ten minutes of Hazel teaching me the intricacies of smoothing a gem, two thoughts stuck in my mind. First of all, she seemed distracted. Secondly, where the Hades was Eurytion!?

Before I could comment on his absence, Hazel yelped and fell to the ground and yanked me along with her. When we both hit the floor, she rubbed her head and groaned as we took notice of the oversized pearl responsible for her slip and fall.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

I cracked a smile. "Don't worry about it. You have no idea how many times I've wound up in this position."

As I pulled away to stand up, she grabbed my arm and held me in place.

"Uh, Hazel?"

She mumbled something under her breath.

"What?"

She balled her fists and squeezed her eyes shut. "Did they ever end with a kiss?" Even though she shivered in place, her courage to face this prospect head on impressed me.

I searched my memories for any such instances. "I don't think so."

She shifted her eyes both to me and away. "Would you… like to?"

I ran a hand over her arm. Though she didn't pull away or flinch, a slight hitch in her breath told me of her reservations. "Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Of course!" She hunched her shoulders immediately after her outburst. "I mean… I've already kissed you once…"

"On the cheek. Not exactly the same."

She pressed her fingertips in her mouth through a weak fist. "I know, but… it's not too much of a leap. After all, I-"

In order to prove my own point, I pressed a kiss to her cheek, just as she had done months prior. It carried the same weight, yet her flustered face told a different story.

"Wha- I didn't- why-"

"Just like I thought." I pulled away and squatted on the balls of my feet. "Listen, you don't have to force yourself."

A pained expression pulled across her face. "I… I want to… but…"

"Why? Be honest with me. Why do you want to kiss me?"

She lifted herself and rested on her arms. "The curse…" A tear trickled down her cheek. "I want to get rid of the curse."

"Look," I cupped her cheek in my palm, "I understand that. I really do. But you aren't ready yet. You still have a few days to prepare yourself."

She turned away while chewing her lip. "But I need to push myself forward. If I don't, I'll never muster up the courage to get in bed with you." Her forehead fell against the wall as she muttered to herself.

I considered her words for a while. While she never outright said it, I knew there was more. There was something else on her mind… or someone.

"Take my hand." I outstretched my arm.

She turned to me with wide eyes. Though she hesitated for a few seconds, she took my hand with a dainty grip. Hand in hand, I lead her to the mouth of the pool. When we reached it, I sat us both down and outstretched my legs so they dipped below the surface of the water, not caring about my socks and shoes getting wet. Given Hazel's lack of water powers, she took no chances and stripped her feet bare before following suit.

"You see this cave?" I gestured around. "Beautiful as it is, it took a long time for the water to carve. And this pool of water-" I waved at the water before us "-it's still carving away, slowly working along and making the cave even greater than before."

Hazel tilted her head, her expression perplexed.

"The same can be said for relationships. The best, most beautiful ones take time. You can't rush it."

She remained quiet for a few moments. "But no matter what, I _have_ to rush it. Otherwise-"

"I know. But in the time we have, it's okay to pace yourself. I've lucked out for the most part. Though I would argue Piper rushed in too quickly, she seems to have had a similar situation in mind for quite some time. Everyone else though…"

"I get it. I really do. While I appreciate you trying to comfort me, I know what I have to do." She tightened her grip on my hand. "It's not because it's with you that I'm… anxious… It's because of who it isn't with."

"...Yeah… I know. If I could undo all of this, I would. Minus a few details."

She narrowed her eyebrows. "The house?"

"The house."

She shook her head with a smile. "I can't say I blame you." Her smile faded, though the light never left her golden eyes. "You know… this is actually the perfect place for us to…" Her cheeks reddened.

"What makes you say that?"

She shied away, but kept my hand in her grip. "We're dangling our legs in an underground lake. Beneath it, an underwater cave is spidering all around Galínios. The perfect union of water and the underground."

I looked towards the turquoise waters. "I see your point. So if we were to-"

Once more, a pair of lips silenced me in the best way possible. Through her shivering breaths, she held her lips against mine with no effort to pull away. However, the same can be said for pushing any further.

As I motioned to rub her cheek, she pulled away with lidded eyes and heavy breaths. One of her fists gripped my shirt as the other attempted to steady the both of us. Despite her bold move, her cheeks burned maroon against her coffee colored skin.

"Are you sure you want to commit to this?" I enclosed one hand around her tremulous fist.

Without saying a word, she tightened her grip on my shirt and pulled herself closer to my chest. Even through her slight sniffles and shivering form, an indisputable nod dragged her nose along my pectoral.

_Well, then…_

My hand locked itself within her cinnamon curls while I dragged her form above me. Seconds later, my back rested along the rocky cave floor as she straddled my waist.

"You have all the power now," I said. "Take it at your own pace."

Frozen solid on the spot, Hazel did nothing but stare me in the eyes. It seemed to me that she wasn't quite ready to take charge, much like her half sister before her. In order to move things along, I decided to take further action.

I took hold of her wrist and brought her hand to my shoulder. No reaction came from her end. Next, my fingers in her hair pulled her head lower. Though she understood my intentions, she made no sign of pulling away. Rather, she seemed to submit without a fight. When the time came for us to press our lips together once more, her eyes fluttered shut and her nails grazed my shoulder.

As I pulled away, our lips stuck together for a brief moment longer. After the mucosal contact came to an end, I brushed her hair over her shoulder and nuzzled her ear. Despite my initial predisposition against her pushing further, I couldn't deny her intent to move forward with our relationship. That being noted, I took every step to ensure her comfort.

"It's okay to be more aggressive with me," I whispered. "You don't have to worry about a thi—"

_SPLASH!_

_My Lord! We have urgent news!_

Before I could register the hippocampus staring at me, Hazel squeaked before turning tail and bolting out of the chamber.

I let out a groan and pulled myself off the floor. A few pebbles stuck to my back in rather uncomfortable places, but I could hardly notice them through the screaming voices in my head, both from the hippocampus and from what I wanted to say in return.

"I swear, if this is about another cuttlefish…"

_Of course not, my lord! We have found an unaccounted for monster in the waters!_

I pressed my fingers to the bridge of my nose and let out a frustrated sigh. "That's just Eurytion! He has permission to be here."

_But, my lord—_

"No!" I stormed towards the exit and spoke over my shoulder. "Next time you want to drop in on me, why don't you do it when I'm _not_ occupied with someone else?"

Though he continued calling out to me, I left earshot (or mental connection shot) before anymore could be said.

By the time I reached the exit of the cave, I noticed the sun approaching its peak. Though he may be unreliable, Apollo's position gave me enough of a reminder to get back to Annabeth.

_I'll have to check on Hazel after dinner…_

I began my return trip to the villa when Eurytion approached me from the shore.

"Sorry for takin' so long. The water quality is fantastic for makin' mortar. Got a little caught up."

"Don't worry about it," I said. "Let me know if you need any help. Hazel took off."

"I noticed. What happened?"

"A hippocampus dropped in on us during an… inconvenient moment."

Her stared blankly for a few seconds before his eyes widened. "Well," he scratched the back of his neck while looking away, "hopefully things work out. I should be fine though. I'll let you know when I'm finished."

"Sure thing." I began to walk towards the villa before turning around. "And Eurytion, thanks."

He waved his hand while shaking his head. "Don't even worry about it. It's the least I can do. You take care now, ya' hear?"

Before I could reply he began his return trip to the cave. I, in turn, began my return trip to Annabeth's bedside.

* * *

**A/N - Woohoo! Percy certainly is having a busy morning. Poor Annabeth is finally suffering the effects of true alcohol poisoning. But hey, who better to care for her than the ones who helped Nimba recover (you didn't think I would seriously forget about my little nebulae)? When will we see her again? In a little bit, but first Percy has business with some others to take care of.**

**Speaking of taking care of, we finally get somewhere with Hazel. Don't think for a second that I've forgotten about the time limit. How will the remaining girls manage with their clocking ticking ever so closer to their inevitable torment? Tune in to find out.**

**With today being the last day of No Nut November, hopefully I can pull in a bit more traffic with this update than the last. Only like a third of my normal views showed up. It's not like there was anything to fap to last chapter, unless you're really into demonically possessed oracles spewing green mist from their mouth... Gods, that's creepy. Regardless, I hope to see more.**

**And now for the question of the day. I saw this one in a more recent story, but it didn't really get any answers. And so, I will ask on their behalf. When reading a Fan Fiction story, what is it that makes you follow or favorite it? On the same note, what will instantly put you off of a story? Two questions, I know; but it's been two weeks.**

**In my case, I follow stories that implement a well spoken author. I got sick of reading stories that I can't understand, but the ones that are well spoken and unique in concept pull me in like no other. I only ever favorite finished stories, but they are the ones I would have followed if they were still being written. As for put offs... Wall of text. Need I say more? Then there's also the horribly done English ones. Like, "I ran my story through Google translate and pasted the results here" type of bad. I confess I've done it before, but I put a lot more effort into ensuring proper translation between languages. And content... Well, if it holds a position in my banlist, you can assume I won't read it. Simple as that. I can forgive one shot series for including things I don't like, in a couple chapters, but if it shows up more than one or two times, I refuse to return to it. So, what about you guys?**

**Not too much to comment on this time around. After all, I have work in less than an hour, so I can't dally. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and are looking forward to more. For those who want some lemons after waiting for so long... You don't much longer of a wait. Hope that got your heart pumping. Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. And I look forward to seeing you all again in mid December. As always, leave a review. This is Ronin signing off.**


	41. Wild Time in the Woods

Wild Time in the Woods

My arrival to Annabeth's bedside was heralded by the strangled retching of the girl in question. Some pigment returned to her bluing skin, yet the beads of sweat clinging to her body offered me no sense of relief. She leaned her head over the bed with a thick line of drool stretching from her lips to the recently filled bucket. As she pulled her head up, unfamiliarity shone in her eyes when she looked at me, as though she couldn't remember who I was. Before I could dare to inquire about her health, much less her expression, her head hit the pillow with a _FLUMPH_.

As I moved to reposition her, Ashe flew across the bed and blocked my path.

"Don't you dare move her! She'll choke if she lies on her back!" She winced as her hands gripped Annabeth's wrists and pulled them away from me. "First you smear my coating, then you force a pill down her throat, and now you dare-"

"Ashe!" Palírroia implored. "Such a tone is not-"

"It's okay," I said as I took in the livid nymph's gaze. "You're right; I shouldn't move her. Thank you for showing so much care for her."

She sneered. "Don't mistake my actions for affection. If my life weren't bound to this gods forsaken island, I wouldn't consider-"

"Ashe! Please!" Palírroia's eyes shone with anxiety as she stared at the brunette nymph. Both of her hands cupped over her mouth as she prepared for the events to unfold.

Annabeth let out a groan and mumbled something in her sleep.

After taking a look at Annabeth's sickly form, I turned to Ashe. "Could you step out into the hallway with me?"

She huffed and balled her fists at her side, followed by another wince. "Is that a request or-"

"As your master, I order you to step into the hallway with me… please."

Following my final word, her eyebrows raised for a split second, only to furrow as she complied with my order. As I followed her into the hallway, her mumbled muttering reached my ears quiet enough for me to miss the details, though I'm sure they weren't pleasant.

If not for my recent bouts with Khione, I couldn't tell you how much I would have snapped at Ashe for her outburst. However, with my previous experiences and while keeping my promise to Reyna in mind, I strived to maintain a level head.

"Okay, what's going on?"

"Oh, what ever could you mean, Master?" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I haven't done anything to you. I hardly ever see you around. Now, out of nowhere, you start blowing up in my face. Why?" I crossed my arms and tapped my foot on the ground.

"Why should I say anything to you? It won't matter anyways. Just beat me or burn me or drown me or whatever it is you do. As long as you leave me in peace to do my duties."

I rattled my head, taken aback by her claim. "I'm sorry, _what?_ Is that honestly what you expect from me?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Her words ran laced with venom. "You sea spawn are all the same. If we don't fall in line with your demands, we wind up discarded like trash on the beach."

I remained silent for a few seconds longer as I processed her words. "Sea spawn." It'd been a long time since I last heard that phrase used against me. Still, beneath the furious facade, I saw the darting glances and quivering legs. If I moved against her, she'd just as readily run for her life as she would fight me.

"I recently spoke with a friend of mine. She told me the other nymphs had only positive things to say about me."

She scoffed. "As if I'd let their words fool me. I know how easy it is for you to break the mind of a nymph. I've seen it done hundreds of times. A cruel and vicious master can reduce anyone to a subservient playtoy so long as he coats his words in enough honey."

If at some point my jaw hit the floor, I wouldn't have been surprised. Her words struck a familiar nerve after I saw the mindless drone Thŷella turned into prior to our… fun time with Palírroia. For a nymph who's seen such atrocities time and time again, it's no wonder how she would be predisposed to hate me.

Out of a habit, I rested a hand on her shoulder. The moment I made contact with her skin, she squeaked and jerked her shoulder away. Before I could question her action, she stormed past me and headed towards the room.

"Wait," I said, leaving no room for disobedience.

As if programmed to obey, she froze on the spot and turned around, her eyes smoldering, but her body shivering.

"Hold out your hand."

Her pale green eyes widened, but she did as I said. With her fingers trembling and her head turned away, she presented me with her open palm.

I took a moment to observe her skin. Much like her namesake, a soft grey hue coated every inch of her skin. However, light brown patches covered portions of her body, like a reverse vitiligo. Despite her odd coloring, I couldn't see any cause for her to flinch so frequently.

She shivered as my hand approached hers. Her pale green eyes slammed shut as she turned away.

One touch. One gentle brush along her hand.

A shrill squeak left her lips in response to my touch. On contact, I pulled away. With a frown tugging at my lips, I wracked my brain for any possible explanation before a long forgotten memory popped up.

"No nymph can go too far from their life source, right?"

Though her body faced away from me, she nodded with a growing fear in her eyes.

"Take me to yours."

"Master-"

"Please."

She hung her head low and led me through the corridor. Ever present her fear remained, yet she seemed more calm than before, as if she were walking a death march.

* * *

For the first time, I stepped through the forest. Trees and shrubbery, both massive and minute, littered the ground in compact clusters spread throughout the land. Sturdy mahogany and cassia trees filled the inner woods and fruitful mango trees and soft banana trees swished along the edges. The occasional palm tree stretched high above the others, swaying in the gentle wind.

As we made our way through the sprawl of trees and bushes, stray thoughts of nymph life sources popped into my head. Out of fleeting curiosity, I wondered about the sources for the other nymphs. For Rose, I imagined a healthy rosebush nestled within the gardens under the care of Katie and Calypso. Nimba… well, I need only to look up and see the far and few clouds in the sky. Perhaps one of them lingered more than the rest and I never noticed. But Palírroia and Thŷella… well, they were both oceanids. We were nowhere near an ocean, but a lake. Unless there was somewhere around the island I hadn't considered, their life source could be anywhere.

And then there was Ashe's… oh dear. By the time we reached her tree, tears streamed down her cheeks, yet she remained silent. Unbidden in her own fury, she let her eyes water her face with nothing more than a downcast stare. But her tree…

The first thing I noticed was the color. I've seen my share of ash trees. Sure, they were fairly monochrome, but I'm pretty sure they didn't have smooth trunks as well. Upon closer inspection did I recognize the horrors of her tree. Not a chip of bark remained, as if someone peeled it away and waxed the trunk. If only it were wax… All across the grayed tree, a horrid mosaic of slashes and burns stained the wooden tissues.

In my memory, I recalled the aftermath of the Battle of the Labyrinth. Countless nymphs and nature spirits spent weeks recovering from the damage dealt to their life sources. Even then, none of them looked so thoroughly ruined; much less, stripped of their bark. To do such a thing was like stripping away the skin of a dryad. With so little protection, every touch a dryad feels…

A shrill squeak yanked my attention towards Ashe, who kneeled at my side with her head bowed. Through her shaking and chattering teeth, she attempted to put on a mask of defiant bravery.

"Be done with it then. I'm sure you'll be fine with one less nymph."

It took a few seconds for me to register her words. When they did, I knelt before her.

"Who did this to you?"

Her lips trembled, along with the rest of her body. "Who do you think!?"

I recoiled at her brash tone, but I didn't dare to retort. A forced huff of laughter pushed its way out of my mouth. "I guess that was a dumb question. The slavers of course. But… why would they…?"

Even without my complete thought, she grumbled an answer. "I wasn't exactly the most eager slave. They did what they could to break me."

My hands fell to my sides as the obvious realization set in. _Of course they would abuse her. With the way she snaps at me, just imagine how much she rebelled against them._

"I'm not going to hurt you," I said after a pause. "I promised Palírroia that none of you would ever have to fear me. Lest we forget I told all of you to keep me in check if I start abusing my authority."

She sneered. "As if I haven't heard that before. Poor Thŷella got duped from a near identical line."

I hung my head as I attempted to find something, _anything_, that could convince her I was on her side. When nothing presented itself, a stray thought gave me the perfect idea.

_Show, don't tell._

Gentle gurgling from a nearby creek pulled my attention to the water. Maybe I couldn't convince her yet, but this seemed as good a start as any.

Twisting convulsions tugged on my gut as I called upon the sea. Seconds later, a mass of water heeded my call and encircled the distressed tree.

"Master, please! You said you wouldn't!"

Tears free fell from her eyes. Her chest heaved as she brought her hands together, begging me to send the water back into the creek.

The water embraced the tree, circling it with slow rotations.

Hyperventilated sobbing turned to strangled gasps. With each passing of water over the wooden surface, the scorches faded. Not long after, the gashes mended themselves.

Ashe fell to her hands and knees, gasping for air as the sensations washed over her. Pale green eyes stared at me as she heaved. A hand clutched her chest as she struggled to breathe.

"It's okay," I said. "You're safe."

Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to half an hour. By the time I finished with her tree, all tears of hers were spent. Dark green streaks ran down the sides of her face. She kneeled in immobile silence as she resigned herself to a self-induced fate. If she moved even an inch, she would have noticed the difference. Or perhaps she mistook the lack of pain for her own numbness.

I walked several circles around the tree, inspecting every nook and cranny for the slightest scars. Only when I ascertained its restored health did I send the water back into the creek.

I knelt a few inches before her. "How do you feel?"

She scowled. "That's a loaded question, and you know-"

My palm rested on her cheek. Though she flinched on contact, she never pulled away. Her eyes widened as she recognized the situation for what it was.

"Better?"

Fresh tears (somehow) pooled in her eyes as she brought her hand up to mine. "H-how?"

If she really wanted an answer, she didn't wait for it. Rather, she pressed her cheek further into my palm and rubbed her hand along my arm. Seconds later, she let out a squeal of joy and threw herself onto the ground. Long forgotten sensations seemed to trigger her jovial ecstasy. She writhed and rolled around the soft grass with tears in her eyes and laughter on her lips.

With a smile, I stood and prepared to head back to the house. As I turned, an overzealous dryad hugged me from behind and smothered my back with her body.

"Please don't leave." She let out a delighted moan as she rubbed her face along my shoulder blades. "Stay with me."

I let out a huff of laughter. "Look, you can stay and enjoy yourself to your heart's content. However, I have to-"

She pulled my hand and spun me around. Before I could register what was going on, she brought my hand to her cheek and rubbed it against her skin. A delighted sigh left her lips as she pulled my hand lower.

"Please stay," she said as she ran my hand along her throat. "Touch me. Please."

My hand twitched as she pulled it further down her body. Lidded eyes met my own as her breathing grew heavier.

"I want to know… what it's like. I've spent so long in pain and agony. Please show me what pleasure can feel like."

She pulled my hand down until it cupped her breast and squeezed it through my fingers. Even with so little stimulation, her tongue peeked from within her mouth as her breathing grew more haggard.

"Please." She reeled my arm in one handful at a time until she reached my shoulder. When she did, her body molded against mine and her lips parted themselves mere inches from my own. "Touch me… Rub me… Do whatever you want to me."

Her pale green eyes glowed brighter than ever. Both of her hands roamed my body, rubbing along my arms or back. With how heavy her breaths were, I couldn't help but wonder why she seemed so sensitive. And then I looked to the tree.

Despite my work, I couldn't replace the bark. While the slashes and burns may be gone, her skin remained sensitive to the touch so long as the bark didn't grow back. But if she were seeking other sensations with touch…

_Annabeth, I'll see you right after this. I promise._

My hands fell on her shoulders and pushed her back until she lied on the soft grass. Tickled by the verdant blades, she let out small giggles as I descended upon her.

"Oh, yes."

I roamed her body through the thin fabric of her chiton. Even with the delicate barrier between us, she moaned out with every glancing touch. For not a moment did she remain silent, instead turning her vocalities to breathy moans or cries of joy.

We traded fondling touches and handfuls of skin as our palms roamed the body of the other. Without taking our clothes off, both of us found ourselves reduced to heavy breathing as the sensations overwhelmed us. How I managed to succumb in so little time, I couldn't tell you.

"Feel better now?" My hand trailed up her throat and across her lips until she took my thumb into her mouth.

"Yes," she cried out as my other hand roamed her pelvis. "More."

"Now now," I chastised as I pulled my thumb away, "don't get greedy."

She pouted. "Not even a little?"

"Well," a devious smirk crossed my lips, "I suppose a little couldn't hurt."

As if trying to swallow my words, she lurched forward and brought her lips to my own while throwing her arms around my back. A high pitched squeal fleeted from her throat, but failed to escape from our locked lips. She proved herself an energetic lover, wrestling with both her lips and tongue to subdue me, but remained so wild that she failed to do so.

My tongue pressed hers to a standstill until she relented to me sucking on it without restraint. Her grip around me tightened as I did. White scleras presented themselves to me as her eyes rolled up. A breathless groan fled her throat as the pressure and pleasure overwhelmed her.

I pulled away and let a crystal thread linger between our lips. By the time it broke away, she attempted to pull me in for another kiss.

"I have a better idea." I rested a palm on the side of her face, to which she gave a blissful hum. "Everything's sensitive, right?"

She nodded. "But it doesn't hurt anymore. Now it all feels so… ugh!" She stretched out along the grass and let the soft blades brush her once more.

I moistened my lips. "How about we go somewhere a little more… soothing?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Where?"

I pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Follow me."

By the time I stood, Ashe jumped to her feet and hugged against my body. She groaned in annoyance as I attempted to push her off of me, and resigned herself to holding my hand as I moved towards my destination.

The gentle creek gurgled as I approached. Turquoise streams stretched across the forest, no more than a few inches deep. Just enough to cover her body.

I took one step into the creek and turned to Ashe. Even with my hand in hers, she seemed reluctant to go further.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure this'll feel unlike anything you're familiar with."

Uncertain as she may have been, she nodded her head and took a step forward. As expected, the moment her dress touched the water, it dissipated into a cloud of mist. Shivering from the newfound coolness against her body, she tightened her grip on my hand as her bare form presented itself to me.

Unlike the other nymphs, calling Ashe petite wouldn't quite fit. Rather, her curves were on par with that of Katie's. Full. Soft. Yearning to be groped.

Along with the water, a dripping wetness shone between her thighs. She took no efforts to conceal body or her arousal. She knew what she wanted, and she was going to get it.

Hand in hand, I laid her into the water. With her legs opening downstream, I couldn't help but wonder if one of the other girls were on the other end of the creek, unaware of the new fluids rushing towards them.

I knelt by her side and drew a line along her belly, stopping only when the pad of my finger settled on her jaw.

She trembled beneath me, eyes rolled up. With the shallow water rushing past her body, I couldn't help but drink up the sight in front of me.

Kneeling by her side, I raked a hand along her thigh and massaged her pelvis. She groaned beneath me and mouthed a soft "yes."

If only I could empathize with her hypersensitive skin. The cool rush of water flowing over my shoulders and rubbing every inch of skin on my body. Every stray drop flicking the delicate parcels until not a part of me remained dry. Soaked to the core and still moaning as the water massaged me with its never ending cascade. If only…

I circled her heaving form as she writhed and moaned under the water's embrace. Every now and then, I ran a hand along her tender skin. Only when I found myself between her legs did I stop.

When she noticed my halted movement, she peeked down to see me lowering my face to the point where her thighs met.

"Let's see if you taste as delicious as you look."

Rich juices greeted my tongue as it parted her folds. As if trying to prove me right, her robustly sweet flavor pulled my lips against her delicate skin at lightning speeds. Not an ounce was wasted. Every drop found a new home in my mouth.

"Oh, _yes!_"

Her eyes crossed in a drunken stupor. My head found itself trapped between her thighs as her grip tightened. Whether from her intoxicating smell or her rich taste, I couldn't find myself wanting to leave the embrace of her legs.

I flicked my tongue around her little twat. Every swirl across her delicate flesh let me indulge with both my tongue and my ears. From her moans to her taste, I couldn't bear the thought of pulling away. The buds of my tongue rubbed her soft ridges.

"Right there!"

Forget the tongue. I pulled away and replaced my tongue with a single finger. Soft strokes were all it took as her ridges wettened by the second. My tongue was put to better use along the surface. Her delicate labia fell victim to the swirling caresses, the swishing motions.

Her fingers threaded my hair. She tugged and pulled as pleas for more danced on her tongue.

With her legs around my head, my free arm had no trouble circling around and massaging her pelvis. Her tender skin molded beneath my fingers, yet every stroke resulted in slight shudders.

My senses heightened from the water, allowing me to see and feel everything. The ripple of her thighs as she trembled. The way she squeezed her breast. The arching of her back. Not a detail went unnoticed as I overwhelmed her senses with both my tongue and the creek.

A thick line of drool slipped from the corner of her parted lips. Lost in her delirious trance, she let the pleasure overwhelm her. Panting. Moaning. All rational thoughts ousted from her mind. Only the desire for finish remained. And so I willed that desire to become a reality.

Her thighs rippled around my head as I curled my finger upward. A mere beckoning motion along her inner walls resulted in a high pitched scream.

"Oh, _yes!_"

Delicious juice torrented from her nether lips. Her vice-like grip tightened around my head as her legs quaked.

Every drop I could fit found its way on my tongue and down my throat within seconds. The rich flavor left me wanting more. And so, like a dehydrated coyote at an oasis, I returned my mouth to her little snatch with a doubled enthusiasm.

"Please!" She closed her legs around my head as her hips bucked. "Fuck… me!"

Rather than heed her request, I let my tongue reenter her juicy depths and slurped on her sopping pussy lips.

Her nails dug into my scalp, not unlike Reyna. She quaked beneath me. Over the span of three minutes, her eyes widened and her screams grew louder.

"_Yes!"_

For the second time, a deluge of tasty juices flooded my tongue. The heavy scent of lacquered wood filled my nostrils. Thick and pleasing, the fragrance nearly pulled my eyes shut. I lapped up every drop of her essence as it spilled from her, thirsty for more.

Rather than return for thirds, I pulled away from her slacked legs and turned to her face. She panted with a delirious expression on her lips. A far off gaze crowned her open drooling mouth. Slight tremors passed through body in swift bouts.

"Are you okay?"

It took a few seconds, but she managed to nod. Small pants punctuated her speaking. "Best. Day. Ever."

I smiled and stood. As I stretched, I couldn't help but lick the flavor of her juices from my lips once more.

She still lied beneath me with water flowing down her body, washing away the juices I came to adore. Her legs remained spread open, as if inviting me to return and feast on her delicious pussy.

"Please," she moaned. "I want you inside of me."

I took a step back. "Are you sure you can handle any more?"

She shook her head. "No. So can you carry me back to the house if I pass out?"

_At least she's honest…_

Before I could bring myself to protest, I stripped my legs bare and tossed my clothes to the shore.

Ashe pulled herself up and rested on her elbows with her legs spread before me. The lustful look in her eyes offered no attempt at a coy play or sultry flirt. Rather, a ravenous hunger festered in her gaze. A hunger I intended to satisfy.

With my legs between hers, I pulled myself forward until my body hovered above her. Inch by inch, our bodies merged together, starting from our legs and ending at our waists. The bulbous head of my cock brushed her sopping folds.

She whimpered at the contact, as if the simple touch filled her with greater pleasure than the water rushing by her body.

"Are you ready?"

Rather than answer me with words, she lurched forward and locked her lips with mine. Through her hot breaths and sensuous moaning, I almost failed to notice my hips moving forward on their own. By the time I did, half of my cock pierced her insides, and the remaining half wasn't too pleased about being left out.

Ashe squealed as I bottomed out inside of her. Tight walls convulsed around me as she flexed her insides. She bit my tongue to stifle her moans, but let it out when I gripped her breast in response.

I started thrusting with a slow pace, pulling out inch by inch until only my engorged head remained inside of her. After a slight pause, I returned, sinking each inch of my shaft inside of her quivering depths as she lovingly gripped me.

She tightened and flexed around my throbbing cock. Small ripples passed through her as the wet walls of her insides squeezed me in their satiny embrace.

"More," she panted.

I smirked down at her. "Greedy, aren't you?"

She rolled her hips upwards to meet my thrusts. "_More!_"

I redoubled my efforts and pistoned into her quivering depths. The slick sheath stretched and convulsed with every thrust. Wet schlicks rippled across the water as her wetness outdid the flowing creek beneath us.

My hands failed to remain idle. From her heaving breasts to her tender throat, no place remained safe from my touch. I squeezed and rubbed all in sight, letting her soft skin tremble beneath me as we rocked back and forth in the water.

Her thick scent wafted through the air. An earthy sweetness danced on her tongue as she pulled me in for another kiss. All the while, her convulsing pussy massaged my cock as I upped the ante and pounded into her with no mercy.

She lost all sense of reason. Any semblance of rational thoughts fled her mind as she locked her arms around my neck and rolled her hips to meet every brutal thrust. Her eyes rolled and crossed. Drool fell from her tongue parted lips. Rapid panting punctuated the sound of splashing in the creek. Yet still, despite her inebriated state, she managed a single word.

"More!"

_Do immortales! You're insatiable!_

My fingers turned to her jiggling breasts and squeezed her soft flesh. Her tender mammaries offered no resistance to my fingers, molding with every motion to their new master.

I rocked my hips harder, desperate to finish this girl. My hips slammed against hers at a quickening pace. The rhythm of my thrusting forced our bodies to slide along the bed of the creek. Every time I buried myself inside, her back arched at a beautifully terrifying angle, presenting me with two healthy handfuls of breast flesh to play with. And play with them, I did.

My tongue lavished her chest, smothering her sensitive skin with slobbery kisses and flicking massages. When they were polished and shining with saliva, I inhaled her brown nipple and suckled on her heaving tit.

The merciless dance of our hips continued. Her insides massaged me with every thrust I made. Any time I pulled away, her greedy pussy sucked me back in. Every time I bottomed out, her inner walls tried to push me out. The cycle continued for long enough. My arms tired beneath me, despite the creek's revitalization.

As my body shut down bit by bit, I noticed her rolling hips losing their rhythm. All of her groaning loosened to deafening yells. Her fingers dug into my shoulders. The arch of her back increased until only her head touched the riverbed.

Without needing any further warning, I relented the last of my strength to my hips. My thrusts slowed as her fluttering pussy walls convulsed around me. Only when they tightened did I slow my assault to a crawl.

"_Yes!"_

Her body convulsed until only her toes and head touched the floor. Her slick walls gushed and splattered my hips as she tightened around me. A throaty groan fled her lips, silenced only by the collapse of her body.

"Ashe?"

As expected, she lied motionless in the water. Soft breaths flitted through her lips. Washed away in the creek, her sweaty figure shined in the afterglow.

"You really did try too hard."

I hauled her body to the shore and dried her of the water. She remained unconscious for several minutes longer. I too needed to catch my breath, so I can't say I was complaining. Plus it gave me time to put my clothes back on.

When she did stir from her orgasm induced unconsciousness, a blissful smile adorned her face.

"More?"

I laughed. "Gods, you're impossible."

She attempted to pull herself up to me, but barely managed to rest her head on my thigh. Her blissful smile soon turned embarrassed.

"I can't feel my legs."

I rubbed her back. "I'm surprised you can feel anything after that."

She rolled over, her eyes staring towards the skies. "Still worth it."

A smilled pulled across my lips. "Come on. Let's get you home."

I scooped her up bridal style and began the trek towards the villa. She nuzzled my side while rubbing my abdomen.

"You never finished, did you?"

I shuffled along a few more paces. "Don't worry yourself. I've gone for hours at a time, plus you're still new at this." It took a few seconds before I registered the meaning of my own words. "Come to think of it, you were a virgin?"

She nodded against my torso. "All of us were. Virgins sell for more. Of course, there were a few trainers that tried to rape us, but anyone who was caught found themselves on the recieving end of a sword."

I processed her words. "On that note, who's in charge of this whole operation? Not the trainers, but the one above them."

"I don't know," she mumbled. "I only ever saw the telkhines who trained me. Or tried to, at least."

I nodded, unsurprised. Of course the head honcho wouldn't show his face. He wouldn't need to.

I carried along for a little while. My body still ached from the recent activities, and carrying Ashe back home wasn't doing me any favors. Just as I contemplated setting her down for a few minutes to catch my breath, a single noise pierced the tranquility of the forest.

_REEEEEET!_

* * *

**A/N - Oh, what a note to end this on. What caused the noise in the forest? Tune in later to find out.**

**Seems like it's been a long time since I last uploaded a smutty chapter. Hopefully this was worth the wait. As always, I tried to make it unique. Besides, imagine being able to properly "feel" for the first time in years. Gotta be overwhelming.**

**On the note of it being a long time, I have to say... wow. Five reviews in two weeks... Come on guys, you have to give me something to work with. Otherwise, I get the impression that no one even cares about what they're reading. I understand that I haven't been posting as much as usual, but there has to be some followers out there that think enough of this to put in their two cents. This is where I have to ask, how many of you are students? If most of my fanbase are students, I can understand a bit better. After all, finals take priority.**

**This next paragraph will make me a hypocrite, but I have to bring this up regardless. These past few weeks have been busy to say the least. My hours have spiked and now I'm stuck with a permanent forty hour work week. Heck, part of the reason I'm posting now is because I go to work in a few hours, come back home after the shift, and return to work a few hours later. My Saturdays have turned into a fifteen hour work day. Not exactly ideal for uploading a new chapter. Next on the list is going to impact the future of my upload dates a bit more. I've recently enlisted in the Air Force. My ASVAB is already complete and I'm getting the last portions of testing (both physical and mental) taken care of this upcoming week. My recruiter isn't sending me out for basic training for a few more months, but when the time comes, uploads will come to a screeching halt. Can't exactly upload a chapter if I'm not allowed to have any electronics for a month and a half. As I said, it'll be a few months until then, but I still want you all to be aware.**

**With all of this taken into consideration, I wanted to make a proposition. Because I want to hear back from you guys more often and because I'm aware of the amount of guests who read this story, but don't have an account, I wanted to see how you guys would feel about me putting together a Discord server. By doing so, I'm able to connect with those who really care about this story and keep everyone up to date with the events in my personal life without having to upload any more "Delayed" chapters. As a bonus, I can create separate discussions for things like questions or recommendations for future content. Plus, I can send a notification there when a new chapter is uploaded or updated. I need your input for this, so please don't hold back on the reviews or messages this time around. **

**I guess that gives everyone two questions yet again. How many of you are students? And how many would like to see a Discord server put up in the future. Your input does directly impact whether or not one is out up so do not hold back if you want one. Hopefully, this gets more reviews this time around, what with finals coming to a close. Since my next chapter upload won't be for another two weeks, I'll go ahead and wish you all a Merry Christmas. Stay safe and enjoy your holiday. The Fates have decreed that I work during Christmas, so that's nice... As always leave a review (they are much more of a necessity this time around). This is Ronin signing off.**


	42. I Almost Die of Boar-dom

I Almost Die of Boar-dom

_Not-again-not-again-not-again!_

I put forth every ounce of effort to escape the source of the massive squeal. With Ashe barely conscious in my arms, I struggled to pick up the pace. My arms and legs screamed for me to stop, to rest. After all, only ten minutes prior, I was showing this girl the time of her life. Funny how, in that moment, I was running for mine.

Even in her semi-delirious state, Ashe understood the severity of the situation. She hugged me tight as I carried her, unaware of the bleeding crescents she left in my skin. The occasional whimper left her lips, but most of the sounds I heard came from my own haggard breathing.

_REEEEEEEET!_

It sounded closer. No doubt, whatever was chasing us was drawing in; and I doubted it wanted to sit down for a game of Mythomagic.

_If I can just get to the house, there'll be plenty of girls itching to fight this thing off._

I stopped dead in my tracks, nearly flinging Ashe from my arms. She clung to me with a weak yelp.

"What are you doing?" Ashe looked to me with fearful and exhausted eyes.

In those few precious seconds, I could only think of one thing. _But they won't see this coming. And if it's what I think it is, then not only will the house be destroyed, but… if they aren't prepared…_

Thunderous claps of fallen trees echoed across the forest. Each one drew nearer.

"Can you walk?" I looked down to Ashe.

Her eyes widened in panic. She motioned to free herself from my arms. As soon as her feet hit the ground, her legs buckled from underneath her. I caught her before she fell to the floor.

She shook her head with tears in her eyes. "I still can't feel them."

_REEEEEEET!_

I cursed to myself and pondered those brief moments. When I came to a decision, I laid Ashe against the base of short palm tree.

"When you can, get to the house. Tell anyone you can what's going on. Have them prepare and join me when they can."

"Don't do this! Please! We don't know what that is!"

"I can't let it reach the house. I'll hold it back for as long as I can. None of you will get hurt as long as I'm still breathing."

A splintered _CRACK_ drew my attention to the distant treeline.

Her eyes widened and she went quiet. From beneath her shuddering sniffles, she whispered "Please come back to us."

I gave her a crooked smile and pulled out my pen. "Be safe. Do what you can."

And with that, I turned to the source and rushed towards it.

* * *

_You're insane!_

_And exhausted; but thank you for the vote of confidence…_

With all of the commotion, I almost forgot to uncap Riptide. I could only imagine the laughter of Charon if I told him I charged a monster with only a pen in my hand.

By the time the three foot xiphos extended in my hand, the treeline exploded. The monster responsible trampled forward, snorting at me as it glared me down with beady black eyes.

I recoiled as I took in the familiar sight of a massive boar standing a hundred meters in front of me. Capable of sending most elephants running for the hills, the massive pig snorted with its dripping gray nose capping off its oversized brown body. Its legs matched the girth of the trees it crushed underhoof. As if trying to make me feel incompetent, the tusks sticking out from its mouth doubled the size of the blade in my hand.

_REEEEEEET!_

Without skipping another beat, it pawed the ground with its oversized cloven hoof and charged. The beady eyed glare froze me in place as I considered my options.

Eighty meters… sixty…

_It's big and heavy._

Forty…

_Lots of momentum._

Twenty…

_Just like a familiar adversary._

Ten…

As it freight trained towards me, I vaulted to the side at the last second. Swift and clean, I slashed my blade across the beast's massive shoulder.

_THUNK!_

As if I were striking the Nemean Lion, my blade bounced off the thick hide and bristles of the overgrown hog.

Pain flared in my wrist as my blade returned to me in a precarious manner. After ducking away from my own ricocheting blade, I whirled around to see the twelve foot boar turning with more ease than I anticipated.

_Not just big and tough; it's nimble too… If only I brushed up in my pig fighting classes_.

It bounded towards me once again, its overgrown tusks ready to skewer me at any turn.

My wrist throbbed, along with the rest of my worn out body. I needed a second wind, but my chances of catching it any time soon were slim at best.

As the beast drew near, it swayed its head back and forth, turning its bony spears into an arc of death.

I couldn't risk another sidestep. Not with the tusks swinging around.

_Can't go right, can't go left, can't go back… I'm insane…_

Like a bullfighter on meth, I charged forward with my sword in hand. I timed its swinging head. Just as its tusks grazed the ground, I dove headfirst between its legs. Timing never was my strong suit.

Though I dodged the first tusk, the second grazed my legs with enough force to turn my dive into a fumbled roll.

The boar charged forward and left me a few seconds to question how I was still alive.

I groaned and rolled onto my feet. Upon seeing my leg, I could only wonder how my foot was still attached. A massive gash stretched from my knee to my ankle. Though I wanted to scream from the pain, the massive boar turned to face me once more.

_REEEEEEEEET!_

"Look, I'm sorry I killed your grandma or whatever. Can you stop taking it so personally!?"

It didn't stay put and chat. Rather, it brandished its tusks once more and charged with an angry squeal.

_Vlackas!_

I hobbled towards a nearby tree and ducked behind it. My leg screamed as blood soaked my sock. The rumbling ground increased in tremors as the boar grew nearer. When the ground shook to the point that I started bouncing, I closed my eyes and dove away from the tree.

As expected, the boar barreled through the massive fig tree and knocked it aside in a shower of soggy splinters and sticky fruit. It shook its head, dazed.

I took the brief seconds to leap forward and plunge my sword into its side. My bad leg burned as I fell on it. Even through its thick hide and bristles, I managed to drive my blade hilt deep right where I was sure its lungs should be. The beast reeled in pain, but didn't dissolve.

"Uh oh."

The beast twisted and whirled around. With my hand still gripping my sword, I was pivoted away and sent flying through the air.

_CRUNCH!_

Tears welled in my eyes as I registered the pain of my mauled leg. My vision blurred and pulsed with black dots. Through my hazy sight, I took a look at the thick tree branch I flew through.

My head swam as the sight of the boar flailing around darkened. I could barely make out my sword still lodged in its ribcage. It wouldn't stay distracted forever, and I needed a way out.

As if toying with the cruelest possible scenario, I could hear the flowing creek nearby. I attempted to steady my breathing, but all I could do was groan as my leg sent flares of pain across my body. In a desperate attempt, I closed my eyes and called for the sea.

The ground shook as the boar closed in on me, no longer caring for the sword in its flank, but for the person who put it there.

From the rumbling of the earth and the flaring pain in my leg, every effort of calling for the water was wasted. I couldn't focus anymore. My head swam. My vision dimmed.

No longer did the beast charge. It sensed its kill was near. It knew exactly how easy I was to take out.

I dragged myself towards the creek. If I could just make it there, I stood a chance. Maybe I could bait out the boar. Make it believe I was giving up.

My heavy arms burned from the cuts and scrapes as I pulled myself along the forest floor. Dozens of splinters punctured my hands. My bleeding and broken leg soaked the fertile earth. And through it all, I continued towards the creek.

The massive pig lumbered forward. It buried its nose into the ground and sniffed the bloody soil. Its tusks churned the earth wherever they touched.

Fifty feet away, the creek teased me. Its soothing waters gurgled along as if it didn't realize I needed it. Stupid water.

As if reading my thoughts, the boar grew tired of its slow approach and squealed. The ground beneath it rumbled once more as it closed in, its razor like tusks ready to turn me into a kebab.

By some miraculous demigod magic, I rolled right between its tusks. The beast plowed the ground to either side of me. As it passed over, I stuck my hand up and grasped its tail. The momentum propelled me forward and snapped my already screwed up wrist. My shoulder flared as it nearly ripped from the socket.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream in pain louder than the boar ever could. But the moment I felt weightless, I could only think about how pitiful the situation was.

_If only I never went so far with Ashe. I'd have the energy to fight._

Despite my hand begging me to let go, I held on. The boar bounded back and forth in an effort to throw me away from its tail. Thank the gods it didn't think of sitting down and crushing me under its gigantic backside.

Across the woods and through the trees, the beast strove to get me away. The beast plowed through the foliage with no trouble, knocking aside massive trees like Jenga blocks. I cried silently as the remaining tree stumps knocked at my legs or scraped my back with every pass over them.

After what seemed like an eternity, the boar whipped around and launched me from its tail. In the weightless seconds, I watched as the ground blurred into nothing but a brown streak. As I hit the ground, my body tumbled and rolled down a slight slope. Every touch hurt. Every rock and blade of grass seemed to beat or cut me as I rolled downhill.

_SPLASH!_

Pain pulsed across my body once more as the beast stomped its cloven hoof to charge. I doubted it was going to take the slow stroll approach again. The ground shook and the tremors managed to send ripples across the already flowing water.

_Wait, water?_

I almost sobbed from the irony. The downhill slope sent me rolling into the creek. The cool waters passed over me. The pain in my body subsided. My vision cleared. Still, my leg and arm were in no condition to move, much less fight. My wounds healed much more slowly. Injuries that may have taken seconds stayed for much longer. Even with the pain subsiding, I couldn't bring myself to move my arm or leg. Despite my setback, I refused to allow the beast to overcome me again.

I called for the sea once more.

The gurgle of the creek turned to a roar as a wave of water crashed into the charging swine. My stomach twisted and churned as I kept up the pressure, slamming the pig boar with one wave after another.

The boar squealed with every hit. Disoriented and reeling in all directions, it snorted in frustration as I put up a bigger fight than it expected.

After the first dozen or so waves, each subsequent wall of water shrunk in size. My head grew dizzy despite being submerged in the creek. Before I realized it, my waves barely reached halfway up the boar's body.

It snorted and squealed once more. By the time I could bring myself to erect a barrier of water in front of me, its tusks were close enough to splash the water on either side of me.

_THOOM!_

I blasted across the creek, skidding across the water's surface head first like an out of control jet ski. After fifty feet, I slowed myself to a halt.

_REEEEEEET!_

The beast turned and charged for me once again. Its beady black eyes burned with hatred. Slimy mucus dripped from its oversized nostrils.

The few seconds let me catch my breath. A second before the razor tusks reached me, I propelled myself away once again, opposite the direction of the mansion. The water danced along my back and healed the slight grazes along my arm. Still, my leg blazed in agony. I heaved for all I was worth as the salty spray dusted my tongue.

_Salt…_

My second wind presented itself as the water along my back grew brinier with every passing second. Before I could appreciate the full extent of touching saltwater, the boar barreled down on me with an unbridled malice in its eyes.

Until I could regain my energy to fighting strength, I sought to continue our little game of cat and mouse. Every time it reached me, I propelled myself away. In the seconds in between, I let the saltwater soak into my pores and revitalize me.

_If I can just make it to the coast._

It never came.

As the water skidded along my back, the trees to either side of me melted away to a grassy field. The water increased by a few degrees. My curiosity forced me to glance ahead and stop dead in my tracks. In the moment, I realized what one of the final life sources was; obvious as it may have been. A steaming hot spring bubbled against the midday air. All to familiar was I with what events took place in that very spring.

Before I could reminisce, the raging boar pulled me out of my thoughts. I couldn't continue along as I had. Not with a hot spring at my back. I pulled myself from the stream with a cast of water around my leg. With a wave of my hand, a wall of water formed between me and the boar.

The boar's head slammed into the aquatic barrier. In its moment of confusion, I took the opportunity to call forth every ounce of water I could muster. The spring emptied, the stream heeded my call. Seconds later, a cocoon of water trapped the wild animal in place. It thrashed and squealed, but I never relented. Seeking to bring the fight to a close, I squeezed the water.

The beast reeled in pain. Its tusks cracked under the pressure.

_REEEEEEE—_

Among the floating shell of water, a single tusk remained, the first that broke off. I felt Riptide return to my pocket. With the last of the energy I could spare, I returned the water to its rightful place.

I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the spring. My head pulsed and my vision seemed fuzzy, but the soft bubbling still brought a smile to my lips.

My knees buckled. Mere feet away, the stream teased me with its refreshing spray. Yet still, I could not bring myself forward. Too exhausted, too spent to ever bring the water to me.

_At least they're safe..._

As my sight darkened to nothing but eigengrau, I could barely make out a voice in the distance. Feminine and regal even by sound, the voice I recognized all too well. I slipped from consciousness as the voice yelled at me and cursed me in Old English.

* * *

**A/N - And thus another chapter is brought to a close. I have to admit, all of the guesses about the monster were pretty entertaining. You weren't really supposed to get it right. Still, good job to those who gave it a shot. I'm sure everyone is frothing at the mouth due to the cliffhanger. What happened to Percy? What the heck was that boar to begin with? Will he survive (is that even a question)? Guess you'll have to wait and see.**

**To everyone who supported the Discord server (almost everyone who commented last time), congratulations. With some tweaks from Ignis Cogitare (this guy seriously deserves some recognition), a Discord server has been made just for you. You can find the Discord code in my profile. Abide by the rules on it and we won't have any issues. Hope to see you all there!**

**What else is there...? Oh, right! The questions. Hmm... If you could become a mythical creature of any mythology (real world mythos please), what would you become and why?**

**Take a good look at my profile pic. Need I say more? Honestly, phoenixes are so underutilized in media nowadays. If they are included, they're either nerfed or evil, if not both. But the rebirth cycle they go through and the way they seem to transcend multiple mythologies, like dragons, made them stand out as awe inspiring to me.**

**So what's your pick?**

**That brings this chapter to an end. Finally broke two hundred thousand words. Phew, what an undertaking. And we still have so far to go... Yay, me... Regardless, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the chapters to come. Leave a review. Join the Discord. Kiss a girl (or guy). This is Ronin signing off.**


	43. Revelations

Revelations

I couldn't tell you how many times I slipped in and out of consciousness. My near incoherent perception compounded with numbed vision caused nothing less than absolute confusion. Through it all, the broken sting of my leg coursed through my body. Every nerve set alight. Every touch a jolt of electrified splinters.

The occasional voice spoke. A hand would grab mine, or a whole arm. A familiar presence revealed itself, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. Anxiety? Comfort? Fear?

_Why can't I make sense of anything? If I'm dead, why does it hurt so much?_

"And the hero of the day awakens."

My sight blurred, but the archaic accent presented all the evidence needed to identify the speaker.

"Zoë," I croaked. "Why is it so dark?"

"Here." Slight pressure. Fiddling. When all was done, she pulled away the wrap around my head. Black eyes stared back as my vision cleared. "Better?"

I groaned. "Not really, but at least I can see."

I shifted in a comfortable bed, but failed to move by much. My leg flared, as did my back. The surroundings cleared and allowed me to recognize it as one of the rooms. Aside from Zoë and myself, the room remained empty of life. My head fell against a propped up pillow.

Shifting my arm did me no good. When I realized my wrist was wrapped in thick linens, I made no further efforts to move it. The rest of my body seemed to agree with that idea, seeing as lined wraps and bandages coated me like a toilet paper mummy.

"Thou art lucky to be alive."

I tried for a laugh, but my chest hurt too much to pull it off. "What else is new?"

She grimaced. "Do not take this so lightly. Doth thou understand what beast attacked you?"

I winced as I tried to move my arm. "Let's see; a massive pig with no intention other than to gore me. I'll go with the Erymanthian boar." My eyebrows furrowed. "Just like the quest to rescue…" I silenced myself before I dug my grave any deeper. Last thing I needed was Zoë pulling a bow on me while debilitated.

She shook her head. "Not the Erymanthian Boar; the Calydonian Boar."

"All those overgrown swine are the same to me."

"They shouldn't be. This one is a far worse omen for thee."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, I'll bite. Why is this so much worse for me?"

She wrung her hands together and spoke in a low voice. "Because I'm the reason it was sent here."

I rattled my head, which may have induced a fifteen-second bout of dizziness. "Run that by me one more time?"

Before she could respond, a warm glow bathed her coppery skin. She shielded her eyes as a new figure stood to the opposite side of the bed.

"We must stop meeting like this."

I turned to see deep red eyes burning with gentle flames. A brown shawl wrapped around the weary smiling face of a familiar goddess.

"Lady Hestia!" I strained to pull myself from the bed.

"Don't you dare try to bow before me. I'm a goddess, not a tyrant."

She didn't need to tell me twice. I fell into the soft recesses of the bed. "What do we owe this honor?"

Her smile turned coy. "I believe you know the answer already."

I glanced to my wrapped leg. "Seems like I'm in a rather… unfortunate predicament." I frowned. "But with some water, I'll be fine."

Hestia raised her eyebrow to Zoë. "Is that so?"

Zoë shook her head. "We have tried already. Nothing worked."

My head throbbed as I reached for recent memories. "It worked earlier. The saltwater spring."

"And at what cost did it work?" Hestia asked.

"My lady?"

"Please, no formalities. And what I mean is did you consider how it was healing you?"

"Um… It's water?" I frowned. "Child of Poseidon here…"

"I'm aware." She ran a hand over my arm, which didn't hurt like I expected it to. "But that water isn't regular springwater, is it?"

"Regular…? Is this about it being the life source of the nymphs?"

"Correct. You notice how it is in quite the limited supply."

I jolted up. My vision blurred in response. A stabbing burn webbed across my back. "Are you saying I was absorbing Palírroia's and Thŷella's life energy?"

She nodded. "Only the silver haired one. Where your head handmaiden's source is, I don't know."

I frowned, but decided not to press the matter. "So by trying to stay alive, I was killing her?"

She pursed her lips. "A rather extreme way of saying it. More like absorbing her."

I fell back with wide eyes and an open mouth. "How could I…? Is she okay?"

"Poor girl is exhausted, but still very much alive. I suppose you'll have to return the favor and give her some life energy in due time as well."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

She looked away for a second. "Taking this island's nature into account, I don't believe you'll have to think too hard to figure it out."

A few seconds passed.

"Oh… Ohh!" My eyes widened.

Hestia nodded. "It works best if the life energy is delivered while in the spring, but I take it you're already familiar with the results."

My ears turned red.

"Regardless, I'm here to undo the damage of your recent encounter."

I let out a sigh. "Why? I thought you weren't supposed to help us directly. This is the second time now."

She tilted her head. "By ancient law, I'm not meant to; you are correct. But because another goddess is once again responsible for the injury, only through my direct interference can you be healed." A small flame appeared in her hand. "I'm no Apollo, but I doubt he would risk helping you considering all of the parties at play."

"Why? Who sent the boar?"

She turned to Zoë with a smirk. Zoë's shoulders tensed.

"As I said, I'm the reason it was sent."

Hestia nodded for her to continue and brushed her flaming palm across my bare skin. It warmed me to my core, but didn't seem to burn me. The flames licked away my wounds, though at a slow pace.

Zoë let out a languished sigh. "The Calydonian boar is a beast of Artemis. When it was first unleashed, a party of Greece's greatest hunters were needed to kill it. That thou wouldst combat it alone…"

I remained silent for a few seconds. "So that's what this is about." I turned to Hestia as she moved to my torso. "Has she said anything to you?"

She pouted. "She's an incredibly secretive woman with a current vendetta against some of the most powerful Olympian gods." A smile formed on her lips. "Of course she's spoken with me." She pulled away the bandages on my chest and let her flaming fingertips brush over the open wounds. "I cannot speak for her entirely. However, I would like to apologize on her behalf."

"Why must my lady vent her wrath upon him? He has done nothing to warrant such reactions."

Hestia sighed, but continued her work. "Let me be clear in saying she isn't angry with anyone on this island. Her anger is directed towards the ones who set up this situation. Unfortunately, she can't take out her frustration on those individuals. As such, you've become the scapegoat."

I groaned as her flames danced across a particularly deep cut on my ribs. "Can't she take out that frustration by hunting monsters or something?"

"Oh, she has. The entire Eastern Seaboard is monster free as of three days ago. I hear she encountered you at a ranch, and that the meeting was… less than pleasant."

Zoë turned red. "I may have played a major part in that."

"Come now," Hestia said. "She wasn't upset about that. Well… a little bit. But she understands why you did it. Again, her anger is misplaced, and she knows it. The problem is that she doesn't know what else to do." She walked around the bed and started on my other arm. "She watched her best friend for over three millennia kiss a man of her own free will. No doubt you can see why she snapped."

Both Zoë and I took our share of embarrassment.

"She's too stubborn to admit it, but she does regret her actions. She'll come around in due time." She glanced towards my wrapped leg. "Would you be a dear and remove those bandages?"

Zoë's cheeks flared, but did as asked. Her nimble fingers removed the wraps around my legs within seconds.

"Oh my…"

I almost puked upon seeing my leg. Half of the calf hung free. Bone poked through rather disturbing locations. How I managed to stand during the fight, I have no idea.

When Hestia moved my calf into place, I groaned. The flames on her hand grew warmer. Whether from excruciating pain or mind-numbing experience, I couldn't bering myself to feel embarassed from the amount of my body exposed to the virgin goddess.

"I don't mean any disrespect, but why help me now? Why not help with Annabeth?"

She smiled sadly. "I wanted to. Unfortunately, Athena decreed than any action towards her daughter would be met with violent retaliation. She's still carrying out the investigation. To say she's become… aggressive would put things mildly."

"But you wouldn't hurt a fly! She has to realize that!"

"Ease yourself. You're not strong enough for that kind of emotion."

She was right. My head swam the moment I started getting louder.

"And to answer you, I know. She knows. Yet she's become extremely protective of her daughter."

"You'd think she would have been when she went psycho," I muttered.

"I beg your pardon?"

For the umpteenth time, I retold the tale of manipulation and the three voices in my dreams… along with the "night" I spent with Annabeth. When all was said, Hestia trembled.

"For something like this to happen right under our noses." She turned with a bowed head and shut eyes. The flames on my leg grew brighter.

"Ow!" I squeaked.

She returned her attention to my leg and widened her eyes. "My goodness, I'm sorry. Just…"

"Trust me, I, of all people, get it."

Her smile returned and she continued mending my leg. Zoë watched on with furrowed eyebrows and a frown.

"Zoë? You okay."

She snapped her attention to me and rattled the thoughts from her head. "Piecing things together." She held her finger to her lips. "The way thou described thy night with Annabeth… It seems… familiar."

Even Hestia paused. With my leg so close to being healed, I wanted to ask her to finish, but didn't want to risk another round of burning.

"Familiar how?"

She stepped back and leaned against the wall. "Hast thou heard of Hippolytus?"

"Hippolyta?"

"Hippoly_tus._ Son of Theseus. The one and only male follower of Artemis."

My jaw hung low. "She actually let a _guy_ join the Hunt!?"

"In a manner of speaking. He did not travel with us, but he worshipped Artemis like no other. He swore off of love and devoted his life to the wild."

I tried to imagine living without Annabeth. I managed for about half a second. "Yeah, I'm not giving that a try. What horrible thing happened to him?"

"Not necessarily him, but his stepmother. Much like Annabeth, she was driven into a frenzy with her love for him. She confessed her passion for him, but Hippolytus refused."

_Uh oh, this won't be good…_

"How does she respond? She wrote a letter to her husband declaring Hippolytus raped her and killed herself." She took a breath. "When Theseus discovered the note, he used one of three curses from Poseidon to kill Hippolytus."

_Now I need to have a chat with good old dad about this…_

"Why go that far? Was she crazy or…?"

"Well, Artemis later told Theseus the truth. And explained how both Hippolytus and his stepmother were the victims."

Hestia finished with my leg, but listened on intently.

"Umm… how both? He didn't do anything wrong."

"That depends on who thou asks. Apparently, he spurned another goddess. As a result, she drove his stepmother into the passionate frenzy. Not unlike the night thou described with Annabeth."

"What goddess? Who in their right mind would curse someone with that kind of madness?"

She muttered a response, but it failed to reach either my ears or Hestia's.

"What? Who?"

Her fists clenched and she ground her teeth. With her eyes sealed, she shook in place, as though the memory or the name was far too horrible for her to recall.

"...Aphrodite."

By the time the name settled in my mind, Hestia's face lost all semblance of pacifism.

"So she's at this _again!?_"

The flames in her eyes grew brighter until Zoë and I were forced to turn away, lest we be incinerated.

"Hestia, please! This isn't the time."

The light dwindled down until her eyes turned to a dull orange. Still, the flames licked away at her irises, threatening to emerge once more.

"I'm sorry." She turned away and paced towards a window. The sunlight shining through looked ready to join her in a blaze of glory. "She's the center of too many issues within my family."

I pulled forward, but groaned as my back burned. Both others took notice and returned to nurture me.

"Zoë, would you please help turn him over?"

Zoë turned to me with a grimace. "Of course."

She carried out the request without once making eye contact with me. If she did, she would have noticed my silent scream when she grazed a bandage on the back of my shoulder.

"Thank you, dear."

I yelped as they pulled away the bandages. "How bad is it?"

"I'd rather not say."

A burning sensation tagged along with my stinging back. Unlike the previous attempt, her flames left tears in my eyes as they scalded along my open wounds.

"When I return, I'll have words to say with Aphrodite."

"_No!_" Zoë and I screeched together, though I groaned right after.

"We can't risk it," I said. "Not yet. Plus, there are still two others." I hissed and winced from her flames traveling lower. "If you confront her, we'll never find out who the other two are. Plus, we don't even know if it _is_ her."

Hestia drew a breath. "I see your point." Her hands trailed along my lower spine. "I'll keep quiet for the time being. But if she lays so much as a finger on you, she'll learn just how hot my flames can be."

With that, she pulled her hands away. My back still burned and ached, but not to the extent it did before. I rolled over and groaned from the soreness.

"You're better off lying still for a while. The soreness should only last for a few more hours at most. I had to be sure you didn't end up paralized from spinal damage."

I offered a tired smile. "Thank you, Lady-"

"No formalities."

"... Right… Hestia. I owe you."

"With all of the suffering and exhaustion you've faced recently, you don't owe me a thing. Just please don't forget what I told you during my last visit."

I smiled in recollection. "Of course. I'll try my best."

She returned the smile and vanished in a column of flame.

Zoë and I shared a moment of awkward silence. When I realized I was still shirtless, I moved to pull up the covers.

"Don't bother. I've already seen all thou has to offer."

My cheeks burned, but I left the covers alone.

"I owe you as well. You know that, right?"

"On what charge? Carrying thee? Twas not I who bandaged thy wounds. Not I who worked and pleaded with the nymphs for some manner of remedy. Calypso and Piper hold that honor."

I scanned the room. "If that's the case, where are they? And still, you bringing me here-"

"Was a result of me being in the right place at the right time. And they are finally resting."

"Still…"

She shook her head. "Give praise to the one who sang her throat raw in an effort to heal thee. Give it to the one who wrapped thy wounds and watched over thee."

I tried to move towards her, but my leg wasn't having it.

"Stop selling yourself short. If not for you, I'd be dead."

She whipped her head around to face me with tears in her eyes. "If not for me, this would never have happened!"

I turned towards the windows. Near them, two bean bag chairs sagged in the center, as if they'd been used recently.

"You can't blame yourself for what Artemis did." I met her tearful gaze. "You heard Hestia."

She nodded, but held her grimace. "Still, I cannot forgive myself for this. If I only held my tongue. If I could take it back, I would."

Silence.

"I wouldn't."

She widened her eyes. "Art thou mad? Thou wishes to be in such a condition? Art thou some masochist?"

"The last question remains to be decided, but that's not the point. As a result of all of this, I've brought myself closer to people I never would have dreamed of."

She frowned with a raised eyebrow. "Doth thou speak of the harem or the kiss?"

"Take your pick. Of course, I wish I could be done with the whole 'forced to sleep with everyone' aspect; but the prospect of seeing so many fallen allies and friends return from the dead… Well… It was unthinkable only a few days ago."

She went still on the bed's edge and wrung her hands together, silent as an owl before striking.

"Before," she said, facing away from me, "I mentioned finding thee being a result of chance. It is not necessarily true."

I quirked an eyebrow. "How so?"

She took a breath and turned to me. "Over the past few days, I've watched over Ashe. Tis an old habit. What is the saying? 'I have a soft spot for wounded animals.'"

Before I jumped to any conclusions, I motioned for her to continue.

"Whence thou left for the forest, I followed. Curiosity, I suppose."

_Here we go again…_

"At first, I couldn't have been happier for her. But… when she urged thee to take her, I couldn't bring myself to look away. Though I'm not proud to admit it, I watched for a good while. All the while, I remembered the way thou made me feel yesternight."

"Should I take a guess about what your hands were doing?"

Her cheeks flared. "Perhaps…"

I shook my head with a smile on my face, but frowned upon a realization. "If you were there, then why didn't you help fight the boar?"

She dug her fingers into her crossed arms. "I left before that," she said through gritted teeth. "If only I'd seen it through to the end instead of getting cold feet."

"Look on the bright side; I'm still here. Still have all my limbs attached."

She smiled dryly. "For the moment. Still—"

"Hey, let's focus on the positive. You still managed to find me."

"In no small part to a stumbling dryad." Her smile turned genuine for a moment. "Thou left her near debilitated."

I scratched the back of my head. "Oops… I mean, if you stuck around, you could have joined in the fun."

She frowned. "Doth thou take me for some libertine harlot?" A slight smile broke her facade.

"Hey, I was just offering." I threw my hands up in mock surrender. "Besides, it'd be a bit poetic, don't you think?"

"Poetic?"

"The untamable huntress, Zoë Nightshade, gives away her maidenhood while in a forest."

Her lips pulled to a sad smile. "I suppose so. While I hope for that moment to pass, it will not be this day. I have other plans."

I frowned. "What's that supposed to me…?"

Predatory eyes sent my words running for the hills before they could leave my throat.

"Tis my fault thou was injured." She crawled towards me, stalking like a panther. "Even if thou says otherwise, I will not forgive myself. But this is a start."

The moment she reached me, a flutter of soft kisses dotted my abdomen.

"Zoë—"

"Please don't stop me." She circled her finger around my stomach.

I swallowed. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

She pressed a soft kiss against my tender abs. "Of course. I have already witnessed thy naked form. Seared into my memory it shall remain." Another kiss grazed my skin as she crawled closer to my neck. "Let me memorize the details."

Like a wolf in heat, she pawed her nimble fingers along my chest, inching towards my face with a subtly aroused growl echoing in her throat. Her dark eyes dilated as she neared her prey, claws ready strike.

Small white lines followed the paths of her nails. Each touch drew a gasp from me; each gasp drew a growl from her. Soft kisses highlighted the scars on my chest. She ensured her lips felt every single one. All the while, she crawled closer to my face.

"Never thought I'd be your prey."

She dipped her head for a row of delicate nips along my collarbone with a smile on her lips. "What can I say? I am a natural hunter."

Before I could return the comment, she latched her lips along the supple skin of my jugular. She held her position, but kissed and nibbled along my pulse point. Her soft growl sent shivers along my spine. Kneading against my chest, her nails dragged new scars to join the old. To either of my flanks, her knees locked against my ribs.

Haggard breaths punctuated her nibbling. As she drew in my scent, she licked my neck with her warm, slippery tongue. Her eyes grew heavy. For a few moments, she sniffed the raven locks of my hair, purring as she did.

Spurred by a primal instinct, she latched her fingers around my face and pulled me in for a wet, open mouthed kiss. Our tongues slipped over one anothers as her nails dug into the base of my skull. She growled and huffed as I nibbled on her tongue, yielding nothing to me as she attempted to force it deeper into my throat.

Familiar scents of nightshade berries and pine permeated the room. Spurred by her familiar musk, I deepened our kiss as she purred into my mouth and kneaded her fingers into the back of my neck. While twirling and threading her fingers, she slipped my lower lip into her mouth and nibbled along the delicate tissue.

I bucked.

She pulled away, only when she stretched my lip an inch from my face did she release it.

"Tis only the beginning of today's plasures."

She dipped for another kiss and dragged her fingers down to my shoulders. Small white lines followed, stalled only when she kneaded my tense flesh.

"Mmm," she hummed. "So many things I could do to thee."

I forced a shallow swallow. "Such as?"

Her eyes narrowed, lips pulled into a sly smile. "Nothing thou wouldst complain of."

Licking her lips as she went, she pulled away, dragging her fingers down my chest and over my abdomen. The occasional kiss dotted her downward path, but not to the extent from before. My breath hitched as she neared my waist, her devious smile unnerving my ever growing arousal.

The sound of her breathing in my scent echoed within my ears. She bit her lips with closed eyes. A soft moan escaped her throat. When her eyes fluttered open, she cupped the ever-present bulge growing in my boxers, the only barrier separating her hand from my bare skin.

"Mmm," she moaned. "Let us see if this little wolf can please her alpha."

She took her time removing the cotton barrier. Every inch that revealed itself resulted in her breathing growing heavier and heavier. By the time the shorts were at my knees, she drooled ever so slightly while panting. A hazy fog of lust clouded her eyes over. She tilted her head up to me.

"Need to… need to…"

Before completing her thought, she dipped her head beneath the solid erection and buried her nose into my scrotum. With her kneading my abdomen, she inhaled my scent for several prolonged seconds. When she pulled away, small tremors passed through her body while she bit her lip.

"Need to… control myself." A hand trailed down and grabbed the base of my cock. "But…"

Without another word, her warm tongue stroked my cock from the base to the tip. Slippery and wet, she lathered my delicate flesh with slow movements. All the while, she breathed in my scent, moaning as she did.

My hand reached for her dark hair, but she pulled away before I could make contact.

"No." She grabbed my hand and leaned forward. "Leave the work to me."

She crawled along my torso, peppering me with kisses once more. Halfway up, she spilled her tongue from her mouth and licked her way up. As she did, she took my remaining hand and pinned both above my head.

I lied there, vulnerable, but safe.

A small kiss dotted my cheek, my chin, my jaw, my neck. She held herself at my jugular, suckling and nibbling as breathy groans forced their way out of my mouth. My hands remained still, even after she pulled away.

For a brief moment, she straddled my chest to regain her composure. The once graceful Persian princess of a Hunter panted like one of her hunting hounds. She ran her hands over my shoulders, and turned her head towards my pelvis. Without wasting her breath, she rolled to the side and turned her body towards my throbbing erection. While on her knees, she leaned forward and took the pulsating length in her hands while glancing back towards me. Her hand stroked me with slow motions.

"Wouldst thou prefer a better view?"

She arched her back downward and used her free hand to slip her pants over the curve of her muscular backside, which seemed to be free of any underwear as well. The firm cheeks glistened with sweat.

In our mock sixty-nine position, I wanted to grab her and bury my face between her toned cheeks. Her dripping snatch secreted a familiar scent that I wanted to indulge in once more. Still, I restrained myself. She wanted to do the work, and so I respected her wish.

She continued stroking. Every few seconds, she buried her nose into my ballsack and took a deep whiff of the musky scent. She shuddered every time she did and lathered them with her tongue as she pulled away. Her eyes grew more lidded. For a moment, she seemed to carry out every action while blind.

"Why must thou smell so good?" She pulled a single testicle into her mouth and suckled on it.

I groaned. "I could ask you the same thing."

She pulled away with a sleepy smile and licked her lips. "My sense of smell is quite keen after all the past millennia. But thy scent…"

She trailed off as her gaze fell to the erection in her hands. While biting her lip, she continued pumping the shaft.

"So… so…"

After an agonizingly long wait, she lowered her head towards my erection and parted her lips around the head of my cock. Her warm mouth squelched as she pressed the pulsing dick further inside. She failed to take it all, despite her efforts to do so.

When she was certain she couldn't lodge me in her throat, she pulled back and let her tongue massage the underside of my shaft. A small flick greeted my bulbous head as she dislodged me from her mouth.

For a few seconds, she panted. The wet patch beneath her leaking pussy lips grew in size. Her eyes gave me a once over before she slid my dick back into her mouth.

The first few bobs of her head resulted in loud squelches, but she tightened her lips around me to silence them. The increased pressure drew a muttered groan from my throat, but she didn't seem to hear it.

As she bobbed, she stroked every inch of the shaft not in her mouth. Her body rocked back and forth as she dove her head deeper.

"Mmfgh." She moaned while sucking and stroking, causing both of our eyes to roll up.

"Gods, Zoë. You're incredible."

She held her vacuum like grip for a few more seconds before pulling away. A wild sultry gaze bored into me.

"Calypso has told me of thy likes. For example…"

She returned her head to mine and wiggled the tip of her tongue directly beneath the base of my head. A jolt of electricity shot through my veins, nearly driving me to force my dick down her throat.

She hummed. "But I like this more."

Her lips parted around the shaft and she took me into her mouth once more. Her tongue slid along the bottom as she bobbed and sucked. On the rare occasion that she pulled back, her tongue circled the head and scooped up any dribbling precum.

She sped up her bobbing, drooling as she did. Eyes rolled up and pussy dripping, she bobbed and stroked like her life depended on it. My throbbing cockhead bashed against the back of her mouth, but she didn't once whimper or cry out in discomfort. Rather, she sped up every time it did until the head peeked its way into the entrance of her throat.

"Hmm?" Her eyes bugged as the shaft slipped further into her throat against her will. She made efforts to pull away, but all she managed to do was cough and gag as the intruder slid halfway down her throat.

My pelvis pressed against her chin, my balls against her nose. She coaxed my cock with swallows and coughs, but she failed to remove it. Her eyes rolled up from the overwhelming sensations.

My hips bucked, forcing her eyes open. The sudden motion resulted in her pulling away just enough for the pulsing phallus to slide out of her throat and mouth. She coughed and spluttered, drooling all over the proud erection. With hunger in her eyes, she spent only a few seconds catching her breath before plunging my dick back into her mouth.

Her pussy quivered and her legs trembled as she sucked and bobbed. A shaky hand returned to stroke the unattended flesh of my dick. She twisted and pumped her hand along the lubricated shaft as her mouth attended the first few inches. Her remaining hand reached around and massaged my balls.

Precum spilled into her mouth as she continued. Each drop made her bob faster and faster until her head seemed like nothing but a warm, wet blur of pleasure massaging my dick towards a looming climax.

Drool and precum spilled from her mouth as her lips slid up and down my cock. The ever increasing wetness resulted in slobbery slurps as she attempted to take in every inch once more. She failed to do so, but her efforts didn't go unnoticed.

I lied back, relaxed. Still, I could feel my limit approaching. My hips thrusted, matching the rhythm of her bobbing head.

"I'm," I groaned, "I'm going to…" My head rolled back as her pace quickened.

She pulled her head away, but kept her hand in place, pumping and twisting along the lubricated shaft.

"Thou is in need of climax?" she asked, her voice heavy with arousal.

My hips jerked forward as she continued pumping and twisting. Her hands slid across the slippery length with a quickening pace.

"Yes, my alpha. Mark me as yours."

My body went rigid as she overloaded my senses. Short spasms rippled across my pelvis as the first of many pearly ropes splurged from my cockhead. By the time the cum fell to Zoë's hands, she enveloped my spurting dick with her mouth. The remaining several shots spewed forth as painful relaxation pulsed across my entire body. Zoë caught every drop of cum with a satisfied moan.

She pulled away and swallowed it all. The remaining semen on her fingers quickly found their way in her mouth as she licked it up.

"Mmm." She tilted her gaze towards me. "Slimy, yet satisfying."

I attempted to regain my breath, but I couldn't deny the need to sleep overcoming me.

"You sure you don't want me to return the favor?" I brushed a finger across her dripping pussy lips. After licking her sweet juices from my finger, I rested a hand on her firm buttocks and squeezed the toned flesh.

"Hmm." She offered me a dreamy smile. "Tempting, but not now." She crawled towards me and pulled the blankets over me. "For now, rest. Thou art in great need of it."

My argument stuck in my throat when she kissed my cheek. A bright mirth glowed in her eyes as she pulled her pants back up. I hardly realized when she reached the door. My head swam with the relaxing pleasure she gave me. By the time the door closed behind her, my eyes sealed shut for a much needed power nap.

**A/N - I know. I know. I'm like twelve hours late. Blame Zeus. He sent a thunderstorm my way and blacked out my power. Aside from that, this has been an... exhausting week. Between my regular job slowly coming two an end (two more nights) and my entry into the Air Force, squeezing some writing in between turned into a nightmare. Just ask Ignis. I've struggled to say the least.**

**So, we finally are given one of the three big bads. Who was surprised? Show of hands? _No one raises hand._ Yeah, figured as much. **

**So it seems that I've had some concern regarding the fact that Percy is much more on the "giving" spectrum while also spending very little time "receiving." Yes, this is intentional. On one hand, Percy knows that for most of the others, it's an uncomfortable experience, so he wants them to enjoy it as much as possible. On the other hand, it's a personal preference of mine to ensure my partner finishes first. I feel like crap otherwise. In the future, expect a lot more receiving. After all, Percy's been with most of the girls on the island by this point.**

**It appears we have another round of questioning to address. Hmm. Well, since I'm joining the Air Force, and as a result, will travel a lot, here's the question: Disregarding any kind of setbacks (time, money, school, work, etc.), if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Cliché, I know, but the shoe fits.**

**I'm personally a pine tree and mountain view kind of guy, so I'd probably be right at home in northern Europe.**

**On a more pressing note, I've noticed that, despite the massive support for a Discord, there are only a handful of people who have joined the server. Come on guys, do you want it or not? Ignis and I are utilizing that as our primary means of taking polls, but we need more people if we want them to represent a proper ratio within the readers. Plus it also makes the discussion channels more interesting with more perspectives.**

**If you want to join the server, check out my profile for the code.**

**I'm only going to be able to put out one more regular chapter before my time to leave for basic training arrives. Yes, the time has finally come. You're going to be on quite the hiatus until I get back. Until I do, there's a project that Ignis and I have been working on to keep everyone entertained while I'm away. No lemons or anything like that, but something that is still... relevant to the story. When you see it, you'll know it.**

**Wow. This note has been quite extensive. Hopefully, you guys enjoyed the chapter and all that is to come. At over two hundred thousand words, I'd like to think this story has left some degree of impression on more than a dozen of my followers. Get over to the Discord for a better cycle of information than my updates. Heck, I'm willing to be most of you aren't even aware of the changes made to the first few chapters. You'd know about them if you were on the Discord (Am I bullying you into joining? Yes, yes I am). Leave your reviews and leave your thoughts. Leave your significant other and enjoy the pleasure of seeing the world through Percy's eyes. This is Ronin signing off.**


	44. 6 PM Wake Up Call

6 P.M. Wake Up Call

As I finally managed to pull myself from my slumber, I noticed a familiar body unconscious at my side. Piper lied next to me, her legs drooping over the edge and on the floor. The feeling of her hand clasping mine brought a smile to my face.

I cautiously flexed my free hand to discover my wrist felt close to none of the pain from it's brutal treatment so many hours earlier. The other injuries I had incurred in the encounter with the boar also proved to be diminished to a mild ache as I pulled my back off of its aggregation of pillows to watch my foot and calf flex. In fact, only a mild malaise remained compared to the dazed agony that had flooded in after the adrenaline of the fight

Eventually, my investigatory shifting awoke the slumbering demigoddess at my side. A wide yawn heralded her rousing state.

"What time is it?" she asked, unaware that there was someone to answer.

"I'd say around six," I replied.

The moment my voice reached her ears, her sleepy eyes jolted open, and she pushed herself off the bed in alarm. Glassy and bloodshot, she kneeled at the edge of my bed, before recognizing my voice and tackling me into the mattress, losing both of us in the flying covers and endless pillows.

She sobbed into my shoulder, her hands clutched around me seemingly torn between shuddering rubs and weak punches on my shoulder. "Par Olympus, tu es réveillé!"

Uncertain of her words' exact meaning, but able to understand the general idea, I stroked her shivering back as she continued to weep into my neck.

"Shhh, I'm okay." I nuzzled her head and pressed a kiss among her wild locks. It took a few moments for me to realize both of us were in minimal clothing; myself only in boxers, and Piper in cropped shorts and a loose fitting tee shirt. Unfortunately, said lack of clothing was noticed by my second head shortly after my first.

As Piper gradually calmed, she cuddled up to my side and rubbed my chest. "Does anything hurt?"

"A little sore in the leg, but nothing too severe."

If only I had the foresight not to draw attention to the lower half of my body. She took one look in that general direction and gulped. "You, uh… need any help with that?"

I detected a hint of hopefulness in her voice. Still, I lacked the energy to take a third partner in a matter of hours, despite how much my body yearned to ravish hers once again.

"I'm good for now. What about you? I heard you played a big role in helping me get better."

She dragged her fingers together into a fist, trailing her nails along my chest as she did. "Yeah. Calypso too. Though she did a lot more than me. Zoë tried helping, but…" She pressed herself more firmly against me, wrapping her leg around my previously mangled one. "We may or may not have gotten a bit… protective… We didn't want anyone else near you."

I rubbed her back, to which she sighed through her nose. "I get it. Though I would assume you still let her watch over me once you both exhausted yourselves?"

"Only on her request," she grumbled. "But neither of us were in the best state of mind to help you."

I leaned my head back. "From the sounds of it, no one could have healed me. Hence Hestia's visit."

"Yeah… Zoë told us." She ran her thumb along my skin while slowly wrapping her remaining leg around mine. "She also told me about the little _treat_ she gave you."

I swallowed, unsure of how to answer.

"If only I were here when she did."

I frowned. "Huh?"

Her hips slowly pushed forward, grinding her pelvis along my thigh. "It's been about a week since we were… together. I've missed you."

A crooked smirk tugged at my lips. "Was I that memorable?"

Unlike the reaction I expected, she nodded with an innocent pout. The wide puppy dog eyes and slight quiver in her lips melted my brain. Her hips pressed harder against my thigh as her warmth grew.

A small moan left my mouth. "Listen, I'm not saying I don't want to. Trust me, I do. But right now, I don't have the energy."

She nodded sadly and leaned her head on my chest. Her hips stopped rubbing, but she never released her grip on my leg. My erection stood at attention, aching for relief, but the rest of my body fought against the idea.

We lied there, embracing one another for a few minutes longer. Only when my stomach rumbled did Piper shift her position.

"I think it's about time we got some food in you."

I nodded in agreement. "But first thing's first, I want to check on the others."

We pulled ourselves out from under the covers. I climbed out of bed, barely managing to stand for half a second before my knee gave way beneath me.

"Oh, dear."

Before I could faceplant into the lovely abalone floor, Piper caught me, her chest pressing against my back as she held me up..

"Are you sure you're up for this? I can bring you some food."

Though the suggestion warmed my heart and made my stomach grumble, I shook my head. "It's only one leg. I'll be fine. Could use the support, though."

She gave me a look of amused disbelief, but smiled a moment later. "Alright. Let's make sure you don't wipe out again."

Calypso's room presented itself to us first. Hopping along on one good leg wasn't doing me any favors, but if I could make it through Tartarus with poisoned lungs and a bleeding… well… everything, I could manage hopping around like a crippled rabbit. The fact that one of my beautiful fiancées was helping me along helped too.

_KNOCK KNOCK!_

No answer.

With Piper as my crutch, we opened the door and hobbled in. Inside, we found a sleeping Calypso. Wrapped in soft covers and breathing softly, both Piper and I shared a brief moment to admire her charming grace.

When we approached her bedside, Piper helped me to lift myself onto the covers. Scooting towards Calypso, I couldn't help but smile at her gentle breaths and sleepy pout.

I brushed my hand over her untucked arm, and a slight grumble passed through her lips. She opened her eyes the moment my lips pressed against her cheek. Lip quivering, she turned to me with a mixture of shock and relief.

"You're okay," she said, her voice hoarse.

As she came to realize I was really sitting next to her, she slid her arms around my back and under my shirt, pulling herself into my sternum in a tight embrace. Her soft fingertips brushed the tender skin of my shoulder blades as she sighed against my chest, breaths shaky. "Twice now, I've seen you broken and bloody. Please don't let there be a third."

Grimacing, I pulled away. "I can promise I'll try not to."

"Well—" she coughed "—I can't baby you. So it's better than nothing." She rubbed her throat.

"Need some help with that? If I get some water—"

"Don't even think about it," Piper interrupted. "You can barely walk as it is. Take care of yourself first, or you won't be around to help everyone else."

Calypso smiled apologetically. "I'll be fine. Just need some rest and a good throat massage." She winked.

"Trust me," Piper said, "that makes two of us. But he's in no condition to strain himself."

She nodded. "I suppose so. Keep an eye on him, will you?"

Piper smirked. "If we didn't, he wouldn't even be able to find the kitchen."

I pouted as they both laughed. "Right here, you know."

"We know," they said in unison.

Calypso pulled me in for a soft, but drawn out, kiss. When she pulled away, stars danced in my eyes.

"Get some food. You look starved."

Right on cue, my stomach rumbled.

"In a little while. I have some things to do first."

With Piper's help, I managed to make it to the door. Turning back, we both saw Calypso tucked into her blankets, returning to her restful slumber. The two of us resumed our trek through the house to find my bedroom.

Along the way, Piper curled her lip into a curious pout.

"What?" I asked.

"My claim about sharing you with your other wives, I'm curious about how long it'll be before we act on it."

I frowned as I hopped along. "I doubt it'll be something we plan for. Probably just wake up one morning and have some lazy group sex."

"Mmm. That sounds like bliss." A dreamy smile stretched across her lips.

A few seconds later, we found ourselves walking through the door of the room belonging to Thŷella. The oceanid in question was sipping a steaming liquid from a thermos, but perked up the moment she heard the padding of our feet against her floor.

"Master?"

"Hey," I said. "How are you feeling?"

She rubbed her thumb over the rim of the thermos cap. "A bit faint." She pouted. "But I should be ready to work in no time."

"Oh, please." I dragged myself along to her side, much to Piper's annoyance, and placed a hand on her arm, to which her breath hitched. "Take as long as you need. It's my fault you're like this anyways."

She frowned. "That… does not make any sense. How could-"

I relayed to her what Hestia told me. Much to my surprise, she took the information with a smile.

"So in the end, I managed to save my master without even knowing it." She locked me in a one-armed embrace. Her steaming thermos sloshed in her other hand.

A smile crept onto my face. Even Piper tilted her head at the sight, gentle mirth shining in her eyes.

"Yeah, I guess you did. That being said, I'll have to return the favor one of these days. Hopefully, sooner rather than later."

Her crepuscular cheeks flushed. "You… you don't have to exert yourself for my sake, Master."

"Oh?" I rolled over and slipped my hand under the covers. Her eyes widened the moment my fingertips grazed her thigh. "Are you sure? I'm sure we'd both enjoy it.

_Plus I can get you the life energy you need. Dammit! Why didn't I think ahead with that!?_

She shuddered, leaning forward. Her electric lips brushed along my shoulder. "Master… I…"

I pulled away. "Yes?"

She whimpered. "I wish to save myself for a later time."

I frowned and turned to Piper, who shrugged, despite not so subtly trying to rub her thighs together.

"What for?"

"Nimba has recovered. Earlier today. She wished to feel your touch next."

My lips curled into a soft smile, my hand returned to her electric leg. "So you want to honor that. That's very thoughtful."

A soft moan left her lips. "She is most anxious about when you will take her. With all of the words we have spoken about our experiences with you, she has grown quite desperate."

"Thank you for telling me." My hand rubbed along her thigh before reaching her plump rear, my wrist pushing up her chiton until it bundled above my hand, and took her supple cheek into my grip. "I'll be sure to give her the attention she wants soon."

"Mmm," she moaned. "I must confess I am a bit envious of the others."

I tilted my head. "Why?"

Her hands trailed downward, coming to a rest on the bulge in my pants. "Because I will soon be the only nymph who has not felt this inside of them."

My hand shifted from her groping her butt to rubbing her moist pussy lips. With a smirk, I pressed a single finger into her electric depths.

"We can change that," I whispered, "right here and right now."

"Oh, Master," she gasped, nibbling at my chest. "As intoxicating as your offer is, I wish to wait for now. We are planning an event for you, and I wish to save myself for then."

"Oh, so you're already planning when I get to ram my cock deep inside of you?" A teasing smile crossed my lips as I drove my finger deeper and flicked it around her inside.

She shivered. "Mmm. Yes, Master. I have fantasized about you ravaging me. But it must come later. It must come during the event we are planning."

I leaned forward, pressing my lips to her ear. "I look forward to it."

I nibbled her earlobe as I brought my finger to her patch of interior nerves. She trembled around my finger, quaking as she released her essence over my hand. I pulled out of her to the sound of a soft whimper, and sucked her juices from my finger.

"Tasty. I look forward to our time together."

She pulled my hand towards her mouth and licked up the remaining juices. "So do I. I pray my skills will pleasure you to your liking."

I smiled, giving her forehead a little kiss. "I don't doubt that. I have faith in you."

She leaned her head against the backboard, panting before taking another sip from her thermos. "Will that be all, Master?"

"For now. Go ahead and get some rest. You need it."

She nodded, her eyes growing suddenly heavy. Before she could drop her thermos, I plucked it from her hands and carried it along as I left her bed.

Piper greeted me with scarlet cheeks painting a ferocious snarl.

_Uh, oh._

Fortunately for me, she didn't reprimand me on the spot or walk away and leave me alone with only one good leg. However, the moment we exited Thŷella's room, she whirled me around, slammed me against the wall, and smashed her lips against mine. Her hips ground against my thigh as she desperately pressed her lips and tongue to mine.

The raw passion left me gasping for air. Like an inflated puffer fish, my cheeks bolstered in size as she drove her tongue into each and every direction in my mouth. Warm and wet, her tongue slithered around and caressed mine while she drove her pelvis against my thigh, and raked her fingers through my hair.

Someone nearby cleared their throat. Startled, she pulled away and snapped in the direction of our audience while my mouth opened and closed like a dehydrated fish.

Upon regaining my bearings, I joined Piper in addressing our onlooker, or onlookers.

Thalia stood with on hand covering the eyes of Cinder, who stubbornly tried to see what he was being denied.

"Was I interrupting?" Thalia cocked an eyebrow.

Piper tripped over her own words before taking a breath. "_This one_-" she jabbed a finger at me "-has been keeping me on edge and teasing me for the past half hour."

"Uh, huh…" She uncovered Cinder's eyes and turned to me. "So are you two going to take up the living room or…?"

"No," I said. "We're done for tonight."

"What!?" Piper fumed.

I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her ear. "I'll give you exactly what I gave Thŷella when we get to bed." I pulled away with a wink. "Besides, there's a lot that needs to be discussed. We may have discovered-"

"Aphrodite," they both interrupted.

I straightened my neck, taken aback.

_Zoë must have passed on the word._

"Yeah… right. If we have one, then we need to figure out who the other two are."

"Other _two_? Gods, Kelp Head, you know how to draw attention."

I smirked. "So says the leather clad daughter of Zeus with a phoenix on her shoulder."

_SQUAWK!_

"No offense."

Thalia crossed her arms. "Regardless, is this conversation done or can I get back to Hazel and continue my lessons with the Mist?"

"Seriously!?" I banged my he ad against the wall, at which point I immediately regretted my life's decisions. "Am I the only one who's never going to learn?"

Piper rubbed the back of my head, an unamused smirk on her lips. "You have enough powers. Let someone else be the hero for once."

I grumbled, sick of the unfairness, but relented nonetheless. With a sigh, we let Thalia pass and continued on our way.

Before long, we found ourselves in a familiar bedroom; mine. In it, Palírroia sat near the head, spoon feeding Annabeth as a small giggle passed between them.

"Speak of the devil," Annabeth said.

I forced a dry swallow. "Only good things, I hope."

She smirked. "That's up to you to decide."

In my sheer desperation to hold her, I marched forward and heroically face planted on the floor.

"Ow."

Piper sighed. "You're never going to learn, are you?"

She picked me up once more and shuffled us towards Annabeth. All the while, I rubbed my aching nose.

Annabeth and Palírroia did their best to conceal their laughter, but let it slip a few times.

Palírroia aided Piper in scooting me next to Annabeth. The moment we came within arm's reach, we latched together in a long overdue embrace. For the first time in days, tears threatened to fall from my eyes. Short breaths penetrated the eerie silence of the room, echoing across the walls. Annabeth stroked my back, her head leaning against mine.

"No more," I said through choppy breaths. "Not again."

After pulling away, I brushed a watery bead rolling down her cheek. Her lips pressed together, stretched across her mouth and tilted every so slightly downward.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice near mute.

Piper approached from the opposite side of the bed and pulled Annabeth into a fierce hug.

"You both are going to give me a heart attack one of these days."

Annabeth laughed through her tears. "You have no idea."

I turned to Palírroia, who shifted around with a bowl in her hands. "I'll go ahead and take over from here." I held up my hand to take the bowl. "Go ahead and take a break."

She frowned for a second before handing the bowl to me and stepping away. As she neared the door, I called to her.

"Palírroia."

She turned.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for your help."

A small smile tugged at her lips. She nodded and took her leave of the room.

I returned my attention to the others, who were locked in a discussion of how much Annabeth needed a shower.

"It's not like I haven't tried. Palírroia wouldn't let me out of bed."

"When has that ever stopped you?" I interjected.

She stuck her tongue out at me.

I smiled. "On that note, it's good to see you two getting along now."

"Yeah," she dropped her head. "If only I behaved myself sooner."

"Hey, that's not your fault," Piper said. "And now that you're awake, we have quite the laundry list to tell you about."

Annabeth glanced between the two of us before settling into her pillows. "Alright. I'm listening."

"Give me the bowl," Piper said, her hand outstretched to me. "You know more than I do."

By the time I managed to relay all of the information about the past several days, Annabeth depleted her bowl of cayenne spiced soup. She took my words in silence, her expression, one of deep thought. Fists bundling the covers, her lips curled.

"Of course it's Aphrodite. How did I not see that coming?"

"To be fair," Piper said, "my mom does this for a living."

"Any ideas on a motive?"

"Pfft, because she can. Simple as that."

Annabeth crossed her arms. "The worst part is that I believe you."

"What the motive is right now isn't our biggest priority. There's still two others," I said. "We need to find out who they are before we make a move."

Annabeth pursed her lips. "I have an idea on one of them, but I'll need to get to my library at home before I make any false calls."

"You mean at camp?" I curled my lip in confusion.

"I mean in my house. In San Francisco."

Sweat rolled down my neck. "Why not go back to camp? Whatever you need to know, I'm sure Chiron has the answer for."

"Be honest with yourself. Chiron would never tell us the whole truth in an effort to 'protect us.' And let's say he does tell us; I don't want him on the bad side of a god for being honest with us."

"And what god would we have to worry about?"

"For now, none. But if I'm right… no. We'll have to wait until I get confirmation. Don't worry about it for now."

I didn't like the idea of going back to San Francisco. On one hand, the city was likely still crawling with monsters. On the other, the Romans should be back. And if they were back…

"If it's not too much trouble," Piper cut in, "I'd like to go as well."

Annabeth frowned. "What's in San Francisco that you need to see?"

"Not quite there," Piper said. "Malibu. It's been months since I've seen my dad."

My head hung low as a grimace pulled at my cheeks.

_Why did she have to pull the parent card?_

"We're going," I said. "Not tonight. But tomorrow after breakfast, we'll all go."

Right on cue, my stomach rumbled.

Annabeth smirked. "Speaking of, I think you should get some food in you."

"I'll get something right after this, but…"

"But?"

"Do you think you could join me downstairs when I'm done?"

Piper's eyes widened for a moment, only to be masked with a neutral expression.

"Um, sure. Is there something that I'm missing?"

Collecting my thoughts, I remained silent for a few seconds. "It's about time I had a chat with Khione."

Much to my disappointment, dinner had already passed. Piper and I arrived to find Katie and the few remaining nymphs hard at work, cleaning the dishes.

"We've got one more to add to the pile," Piper said, holding up Annabeth's bowl.

Katie perked her head up. "We were wondering when you'd wake up. Care to tell me how most of my help wound up bedridden?"

I scratched the back of my neck. "Sorry about that. Been quite the eventful past few days."

She huffed. "You're telling me." A playful glance darted towards Piper. "Still on edge?"

She groaned. "Don't even get me started. I'm half tempted to let him hobble around on his own if he doesn't stop his teasing."

"I'm right here."

She feigned to drop me. "Oops. Guess I missed that."

I grumbled to myself.

A firm kiss planted itself on my cheek. "But I'll drop him when he has a bed to land on. Until then, you have any leftovers from dinner?"

Katie rubbed her eyebrows. "Yeah. Hope you're in the mood for chicken curry."

"That'll do."

Spicy as it may have been, the curry hit all the right spots. If only I were able to have it fresh.

Shortly after I finished and washed up, Annabeth hobbled out to the dining room. Though a bit pale, she looked far healthier than a few hours prior.

"Are we still making that visit?"

"Yeah." I turned to Piper. "I hate to ask…"

She looked to the ceiling and shook her head with a smile. "You guys are my best friends. Of course I'll help you."

All was going well until we reached the stairs. Annabeth and I forced a swallow.

_I've dealt with worse._

I hopped down one stair, mistakenly placing too much trust in my surprisingly atrophied leg. If not for Piper and Annabeth, I would have tested my recovery the hard way.

"One step at a time, Seaweed Brain."

Step by step, we managed to work our way to the sublevel of the mansion. Through the windows of the arena, the image of Bianca and Reyna locked in fierce combat passed us. Zoë watched on with an amused smirk.

Piper faltered as we approached the steel dungeon door..

"I don't… I don't think I'm ready for this again… Not yet."

Annabeth grasped her shoulder in a firm, reassuring grip. "I'll take over from here. Go make sure Reyna doesn't destroy Bianca too badly."

She smiled gratefully and took her leave of our merry trio.

The metal door loomed, daring us to enter. Only when I reached to do so did I realize I didn't have the keys.

"Looking for these?" Annabeth held up a ring of keys, her tone light and teasing. Smiling, I nodded in thanks and took them from her, hands trembling slightly as I unlocked the door and began my entry into the place I had avoided for so long.

Among the cobbled stones and chilled air, Khione's form hung from her shackles, devoid of any movement. Annabeth shuffled forward, dragging me along quite unwillingly.

_You've seen what she's done,_ the voice in my head whispered. _Wring her throat. Make her suffer once more. Make her scream._

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I continued forward. Annabeth grasped my arm for reassurance, though I wasn't sure if I could give her any. The track record with my previous visits was more than enough proof of my ineptitude in our current situation.

We opened the cell door, stepping forward into the goddess's cage. The hanging snow goddess took no notice of us, that is, not until we stood directly beneath her.

"Get it over with," she mumbled, her voice lined with a sullen acceptance.

A wave of my hand later and the shackles released her, dropping her limp figure to the ground below.

_Note to self, you should have caught her._

She picked herself up, eyeing both of us warily, before assuming a sitting position. "What is it this time? Another beating? Stabbing? Strangling? Or have you come up with something entirely new to torment me with?"

Annabeth raised an eyebrow at me and dug her nails into my arm, a not so subtle way of asking, "What the Hades went on down here while I was away?"

"None of the above," I replied. "We're here to ask you something."

"What?" she snapped. "If I'll open my legs for you on command? Try that other little whore. This goddess is staying pure."

A sigh left my lips. "No. Not even close." I knelt down, groaning as my weakened leg strained to hold me up. "Have you felt anything… off about this place?"

Her head cocked to the side, an unamused glare etched into her countenance. "Off about a prison? Oh, I wonder…"

I pressed my fingers to the bridge of my nose. "Okay, stupid question. Let me rephrase that." I took a breath. "We've recently discovered that there is a trio of gods and goddesses manipulating the events here. For example, when Piper and I… you know…"

"What? When you and that conniving brat beat me into a bloody pulp and left me to rot for the next day?"

I winced.

_She dares to vocalize such barbs? Strike her! Let her feel her just desserts!_

My hand tightened around Annabeth's. "Yeah… Look, I can't express how sorry I am. There is no excuse for what I did."

She sneered. "As if I would fall for the—"

"Aphrodite's one of them," Annabeth cut in. "You know how she works."

The goddess's pale expression darkened to a deep blue. "Don't get me started with her."

"She's telling the truth," I said. "At least, we're pretty sure that she's one of the three. Right now, we're trying to figure out who the other two are."

Her scowl lessened. "And you expect me to know who the others are?"

"Something like that. Have there been any presences that you've noticed lately? Any swift change in your emotions?"

She furrowed her brows. "Such as how you went from brushing my hair to strangling me?"

"Yeah." I hung my head. "Like that."

"I don't think she would," Annabeth said. "As a goddess, if anyone tried to manipulate her, she'd be onto it quicker than anyone else."

My lips tightened. _Why did she have to make sense?_

"Okay. Well… That takes out one possible search. But we do have a lead on another." I rested a hand on Khione's shoulder, to which she pulled away until her back pressed flat against the wall. "The nymphs here were raised in a slave guild. One of the three is the guy leading it. Any ideas who that might be?"

Her lip curled in disdain. "In the north, we don't have slaves. Not nymphs anyways. Why would I be interested in a slave guild?"

"I don't know. You were working with Gaia. Who knows what extremes she'd go to just to increase her numbers?"

She pursed her lips. "As far as rebuttals go, that isn't the worst. Still, I don't know. Ask your own nymphs."

"Already tried that. They've never seen him."

That seemed to surprise her. "That is rather odd. Most masters would make a point of ensuring their presence was felt and feared." She remained silent for a few seconds, pondering, before she spoke once more. "Which nymph did you ask?"

I frowned in recollection. "Ashe. Why?"

"A dryad." She hummed to herself. "Ask your head nymph. If none of the others know, she would."

"And how are you so certain of that?" Annabeth asked.

She grinned. "Because if I were to send some slaves off to serve someone else, I would at least want the one in charge to remember who she'll have to answer to should she fail in her duties."

Annabeth and I traded concerned expressions, but nodded in silent agreement.

"Thank you. We'll go ahead and do that. In the meantime—"

"I'd like to stay on the floor. I believe I've earned that much at least."

"Wha… No. In the meantime, you're free to go."

She remained silent for a few moments, a wary gaze shifting across her features. "You… you aren't attempting some trick, are you?"

I stood, grunting in effort, and shuffled towards the exit, Annabeth in tow. "After everything I've done to you, I was going to let you go anyways. You've spent enough time down here."

Her hand twitched in excitement, daring to reach forward. A glimmer a joy shone in her eyes. "You… you mean… I am free?"

"Not exactly." I sighed, halting halfway through the exit. "You're just as much a prisoner as we are."

**A/N - What a note to end on! This marks the beginning of the hiatus. In a little over a week, I'll be shipped off to basic (hopefully). With all that's passed, it's a miracle I've managed to get this chapter out at all.**

**On the note of a lot passing, there is one particular person I need to recognize. Ignis Cogitare, my beta reader. Shoot, you may as well be an alpha reader with everything you've helped me with. This guys deserves his props and then some. This being said, he has some words for the readers as well.**

**"****Hello all,**

**I am Ignis, Ronin's...I'm not sure the best way to describe what I do, so I'll let him do it. Ronin will soon be headed off to basic, as he has told you, and during those six weeks, I will be providing content. Once again, I'll let Ronin describe what I have, but it is related to the story. On that note, I do know a lot about the story, and am able to answer any questions you may have. I cannot, however, give spoilers. If you wish to know anything, JOIN THE DISCORD. Please. The code is in Ronin's bio, just type ["discord" dot "gg/" the code] into the url bar. And to the guy that said we wouldn't get anyone in the server, we have 36, so ha. Hopefully Ronin will leave a link to my profile either here or in his bio, as you will be getting stuff from me while he is gone. In any case, thanks, and I hope to see you all in the discord!"**

**As he said, we've been working on a project together for the past few weeks now. He'll be the one occupying you while I'm away. Don't be too hard on him though. This being said, a word of warning: The work he'll be presenting you is not for the faint of heart. This needs to be stated. Not everyone will be able to read it.**

**While I can't leave a link to his account per se (courtesy of Fanfictions regulation on links), his name should be easy enough to find. "Ignis Cogitare"**

**Also, yes. Do join our Discord. It is the most surefire manner of getting ahold of me. PMs through Fanfiction seem to take awhile before I get notified. However, I get my Discord notifications the second you send the message.**

**On to the chapter. What are your thoughts? A lot has transpired and there's so much future content referenced in this one chapter. From Annabeth to Khione, we finally are seeing a lot of momentum with the plot after the first villain reveal. How long will it be until we discover the next? I guess you'll have to wait and find out.**

**Oh, the question. Hmm. I want this to be a good one... Hmm... Alright. If you had an Olympian god or goddess (I'll go ahead and allow Hades and Persephone) as a parent, who would it be?**

**Honestly, I'd probably be an adopted child of Artemis. Love nature. I tend to be a loner. I love animals and night time. As a bonus, silver is my favorite color. Unrealistic as it may be, that's my best match.**

**So, I assume that's it for now. There's not much further to say, aside from thank you. Thank you to all the readers, all the reviewers, the followers, the favorites, the guests. All of you. Thank you.**

**As always, leave a review. Leave your thoughts. Join our server. Join our lovely little family. This is Ronin signing off.**


	45. West Waters Bring Answers and Adulterers

West Waters Bring Answers and Adulterers

Most people pray for a swift morning, to see Eos' rosy fingers stretch over the horizon so that the darkness of night may be banished away. Truly, those people have never lain through a blissful night and risen to a lazy morning. It seemed that day, Apollo arrived late and let Eos linger for a little while longer.

As the morning light trickled through the sheer voile draperies, the warmth of my bedmates roused me from my slumber in the gentlest possible manner. Along my spine, the soft breaths and softer skin of Calypso brushed. Within my arms, the golden figure of Annabeth slept. Clasping my hand, Piper nestled herself against the warmth of Annabeth's back.

Even in my somnolence, the warmth of their bodies brought a smile to my lips. Said lips pressed themselves along the exposed shoulder of my longest love.

Of course, more was exposed, but nothing to suggest any venereal actions. Calypso lied in a long nightgown, Piper in an oversized flannel shirt, Annabeth in a tank top and shorts that cover just as little. As for myself, I lied bare chested with cotton pants on my legs. Yet, despite the insurmountable heat radiating from all the bodies, I couldn't think of myself as anything but comfortable.

It seemed I wasn't the only one to think so. Annabeth groaned, as expected, the moment my lips touched hers. Still, even she didn't pull away once her eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Let's make it even better," I replied, my tongue racing over my lips.

"Yes," a gentle voice whispered in my ear. "Let's." The speaker pressed her soft lips along the back of my neck.

A fourth voice spoke, lilted and annoyed. "Can't we just sleep for a bit longer."

Annabeth turned to the yawning Piper. "So says the one who wouldn't sleep until after her third orgasm."

Too tired to blush, Piper stretched and let out an amused sigh. "What can I say? Percy knows how to use his hands." She playfully smirked at Annabeth. "You helped too."

Annabeth slapped her shoulder, an exasperated smile on her lips.

"Will you two stop it?" Calypso mumbled into my shoulder blades, her arms locked around my stomach. "You're making his back tense up."

Piper sat up. "You're so obsessed with his back. I'm more interested in what's in front." She none too subtly eyed my morning wood.

Calypso hummed. "Trust me, I am too. But there's so much to play with back here." She playfully bit my shoulder. "And he'll never know what I'll do next."

"Gods, both of you. How about we stop picking our favorite sides of him and start enjoying them instead?"

I groaned. "Please no. I'm not ready for that kind of exertion this early in the morning."

Calypso hugged me tighter. "And you're all leaving once breakfast is over. Can't I enjoy him for a bit longer?"

I turned my head. "Since when was I a piece of meat?"

She smiled, unashamed. "Since you made me yours." A flurry of kisses dotted my shoulder.

Piper faked a gag. "I'd say 'Get a room,' but I also want the same thing for myself. Guess we'll have to share." Her tongue rolled over her smirking lips. "Besides, didn't you say that your first group session would be lazy morning sex?"

I pouted. "So now you're using my own words against me?"

"You bet I am."

"Di immortales, you guys." Annabeth pulled herself up. "Not every morning needs sex." She shot a mischievous glance toward me. "Sometimes we can make due with a good set of hands."

I buried my head under a pillow with a groan. "You three are impossible."

Their muffled laughter reached my ears despite the pillow.

* * *

By the time Apollo's chariot bared its rays through the windows of my home, my trio of lovers and I indulged ourselves in a modest breakfast of scrambled eggs topped with tomatoes and feta cheese. I made certain to give my thanks to the nymphs, who for the first time in way too long were all awake at once. The sight of Nimba mingling with her fellow nymphs, and the elated tears Palírroia tried so hard to conceal, brought a fervent warmth to my heart and a long belated smile to my lips.

As our meal came to a close, numerous others woke and made their way to the kitchen to begin theirs, eager to enjoy the nymphs' cooking. Inexhaustible tension from the arduous days prior seemed to melt away as morning laughter echoed across the halls. Everyone was awake. Everyone was safe. Everyone was happy.

Save for one, that is.

"You wish me to sit at a table surrounded by people I attempted to kill these past few months? You're quite delirious if you think nothing will go awry."

Only when Khione made her presence known within the dining room did the joyous morning become stifled with hushed whispers.

"There'll be none of that," I announced. "Everyone here knows what went down within the dungeons. If you honestly think she hasn't earned a right to sit with us and eat like a civilized person, then you are more than welcome to leave the table and go about your business."

For a few moments, no one spoke out. No one moved. It was just as a sigh of relief began to push past my lips that they stood. But it was the person that stood first which startled me the most. Hazel, followed by Thalia, Bianca, and Drew, left the room with nary a word. Everyone else seemed to take a great deal of interest in the various details of their breakfast, spare the few who understood the severity of the unspeakable events from days prior.

Piper refused to make eye contact with Khione, nor did she speak to her, but I didn't fail to notice how she was the one to bring the snow goddess a plate of breakfast.

"Give it some time," I whispered into the snow goddess's ear. "If I managed to come around, they will too."

Before we had arrived at breakfast, my morning entourage and I discovered Khione sleeping on one of the couches within the entrance hall. Upon waking, she explained that she didn't have a room, and that the nymphs weren't keen on lending her one without my instruction. A few words to the nymphs later, she was given a room to call her own. The sole request that came with it was that she may use her power to some degree so she could chill her room to her comfort.

I was pulled back to the present when Khione finally spoke once more, grimacing as she nibbled at her breakfast. "I don't blame them. If any of them were to sit at my father's table after the events of the past few months…"

Desperate to change the subject, I pushed out my lip curiously. "So you _do_ eat regular food?"

She halted a tomato halfway into her mouth. "You ask me this as I'm eating?"

I shrugged sheepishly. "I guess that was a dumb question."

"Perhaps," she said, putting down her fork. "To answer you, I don't necessarily eat for sustenance. Think of it like this, I can starve, but I won't die from it."

"Ah. So no ambrosia and nectar?"

She smirked. "If you have some available, I'm more than willing to take it instead of this." She gestured to her plate. "As good as this tastes, nothing can quite compare to the nourishment of my godly meals."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. On one hand, we don't have any on this island. On the other, if we did have it, we'd use it to heal our injuries, not to gift away as food."

"I thought not."

She returned to eating, though her posture was more relaxed than only minutes before.

The remainder of breakfast continued with no further interruptions, save for Palírroia crawling on my lap and giving me a teary kiss. Breaking from her hushed sniffles and desperate plucking of my lips, she pressed her lips to my ear.

"Must Khione walk freely so soon?" she whispered. "The things she's done…"

"She's more than made up for it. I promise. If she causes any trouble, come see me. I'll straighten her out."

Though hesitant, she nodded and trailed her lips from my ear to my jaw, leaving an emphatic smack against the skin as she pulled away.

"You've gotten popular with them," Annabeth noted. "It only reinforces the praise she gave you yesterday."

"I try my best." My cheeks burned.

As breakfast drew to a close, a part of me wanted to bring up the incident with Rachel from the day before. Even she seemed to silently ask for the same thing. I shook my head at her, imploring her to wait. Not only did we have enough on our plate for the day without adding further unrest, but I wasn't quite willing to ruin the good mood quite yet.

* * *

"Are you sure you can't take me with you?"

Calypso trapped my arm within hers as she buried her cheek into my chest.

"You've already gone on a trip with me," I replied. "It wouldn't be fair for them. Plus, there's no way Rainbow can carry more than three."

The hippocampus whinnied in agreement as Annabeth and Piper climbed onto him.

Calypso languished as I massaged her scalp. "If you go with them," she mumbled, "I know what they'll do."

"And what's that?"

She turned to me, her dark eyes clouding. "The same thing you did to my sister, and to her sisters in arms, and Silena before her. Lest we forget what happened between us when we went on a trip together."

I brushed the developing tear from her eye. "So you're getting jealous? That's why you want to come with us?"

"Not the only reason." She pouted with her cheek returned firmly against my chest. "There's still so much I haven't seen. And from what they tell me, this San… Fra… Fran…"

"San Francisco."

"Yes, that. They tell me it is vastly different from New York."

"I wouldn't know. Most of the time I spent there, I was preoccupied getting attacked by monsters."

She sighed in defeat, clearly aware that she wasn't going to gain any ground in this matter.

"Hey—" I tilted her chin up to face me "—I promise I'll take you to so many more places. It just won't be today."

She nodded sadly and stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss to my lips. It lasted far longer than it needed to, but I wasn't complaining. The exquisite softness of her lips never failed to amaze me, nor did the way she plucked at my lip with her teeth fail to amuse me. When she did finally pull away, she squeezed me in a final embrace before returning inside.

"You finally done?" Annabeth teased as I climbed aboard.

"Cut him some slack," Piper said. "Calypso is all heart. She needs her time with him."

Annabeth poked her flank. "Sounds like someone else I know."

"Enough, you two." I said with a smile. "Or I'll make sure your hair stays wet for the rest of the day."

"Kinky," Piper said.

I rolled my eyes, but nonetheless situated myself between them both. Annabeth's arms wrapped around me from behind, her head resting securely on my shoulder while Piper leaned back against my chest, making herself more than comfortable.

"Alright Rainbow, take us to San Francisco."

* * *

Some would say chance meetings are the result of a pre-woven fate, the fastidious offspring of the reticent _Moirai, _who I had unfortunately had the displeasure of meeting. Others would argue that there's no such things as chance meetings, and that they were all orchestrated as a part of a primordial plan called destiny that was laid into motion so many eons ago. As for myself, I'd say it was bad weather.

During my sporadic trips through San Francisco, I never truly took the time to take in the views of the city. More often than not, I was running from monsters or running to fight them. A great deal of running seemed to be involved. Regardless, I never had many opportunities to take in the sights. Of course, that means I would still have to wait.

Shrouded in a thick fog, the few towers stabbing into the sky looked nothing like skyscrapers or office buildings, rather they cast looming shadows over the ground like the giants that challenged our world less than two weeks prior.. Despite our victory, their shadows still seemed to sap away at the splotches of scattered color, melding the zestful vibrance with the muted hoary concrete jungle. . Most of it was already gone, whisked away by the pale fog.

Piper and Annabeth pressed against me, their radiated heat gently calming my nerves. Bar the occasional splash of water parting in Rainbow's wake, the bay lay silent. San Francisco's trademark fog thickly blanketed the frigid Pacific waters.

"I can hardly see anything," I said. "I'm pretty sure we passed the Golden Gate bridge a while back."

Annabeth grumbled. "We should probably pull up to one of the piers. Once I know where we are, I can walk us to my… house."

Even after her attempts to mend the bridge with her father, the way she often described her visits were less than pleasant. It didn't help that the whole "brain child" aspect of her meant she wasn't even technically related to her father. She was simply modeled as if she were.

"Well," I said, "we could always stop…" I trailed off when a very familiar homeless man passed by us. The grubby fish Santa of a god, Nereus, took one look at me and transformed into a bonito, rocketing off into the depths. A rapidly fading trail of bubbles was the only sign the ancient god had ever been there.

"Percy?" Annabeth said. "Did you… know him?"

"Nereus." I glanced backwards. "I wrestled him when we were looking for you."

She frowned in confusion, but a light of understanding shone in her eyes a moment later.

Assuming Nereus kept to the same dock, I had a general sense of where Annabeth's house was, or rather I would had the fog's obscuration not prevented me from being able to use that knowledge. Per Annabeth's demand, we pulled up to the pier. Rainbow let us dismount and waved us goodbye with his tailfin as he began his trip for food within the bay.

It only took a moment of walking along the wooden pier for us to sense something was wrong. The sound of metal boots clanking on wood echoed through the fog. The boards trembled beneath our feet. All of us drew our weapons, though neither Annabeth nor Piper wielded their original knives. Piper let out a choked gasp as the armoured soldiers emerged from the fog. We expected monsters or enemies of some sort. What we got was arguably worse.

"Jason?"

Many moments passed in tense silence before either party uttered a word. Both Annabeth and Piper tightened their grip on their daggers. As for me, I couldn't focus on anything except for the silence that was permeated only by the choppy water lapping at the legs of the dock, eager to answer my call and sweep away the cheating son of Jupiter.

"Stand down," Jason said.

The three of us took our turns processing his words, not that it mattered.. None of us had any intention of listening.

"_Excuse_ me!?" Piper fumed.

"Not you guys." He turned to the legionnaires. "If they really wanted to hurt us, you wouldn't stand a chance. At ease."

Though reluctant, the armored troops sheathed their weapons, wary eyes fliting back and forth between the trio and their former Praetor.

"Well, with that taken care of, why don't we catch up a bit?"

He shouldn't have turned his back, because before anyone could react, Piper closed the distance between them and slammed her fist into the side of his head. He toppled over the edge of the dock,disappearing beneath the waves. Half of the legionnaires redrew their gladii while the others dove in after their downed leader, forming a chain of warriors with one anchoring themselves to the pier. Piper dispatched two with ease, clubbing their throats with the pommel of her dagger.

Annabeth and I stepped in before she could hurt any others. We met every slash with a parry, every thrust with a twist. By the time Jason resurfaced, every legionnaire before us stood disarmed.

"Stop!" Jason cried out, pressing his hand over his ear. Supported by a larger soldier, he climbed onto the dock and swayed. A few others held him up as he regained his bearings and wiped his glasses. "I deserved that… and much more."

"You're damn right, you do," Piper growled.

"This isn't the time," he said with a wince. "There are bigger issues than you and me."

"_Your_ issues," Piper spat. "Not ours."

Wrapping my arms around her, I prevented her from going any further with any harmful intent.

"Let's just go," I whispered into her ear.

The waves seemed to swell around us, eager to drag Jason beneath their surface once more. Beads of perspiration dotted my forehead as I strained to not let them carry him away.

Her struggling lessened, tears of fury streaming down her face. Even when she stopped tugging me forward, I held my hands on her hips, lest she try and attack him again.

"So what is this issue?" Annabeth stepped forward, locking a careful eye on the surrounding legionnaires.

Jason let out a breath. "Residual forces from the war. A fair few tried to rally at mount Othrys. We've been scouting the area for any stragglers."

I tightened my grip on Piper's hips, drawing a short breath from her. "Have you contacted the gods about this?"

He shook his head. "No. Why would they care?"

A smirk formed on my lips. "I'm pretty sure Arte… Um…" I glanced around at the frowning soldiers. "Diana could use some distractions."

Understanding, he nodded. "I can imagine." He turned to his soldiers. "Get the wounded back to camp. Prepare some sacrifices at Lady Diana's temple."

Though they didn't look happy to leave, about half of the soldiers picked up their two unconscious brethren and hauled them away.

Jason looked to those who remained. "You too. I'll catch up." He turned to us once they left. "So…"

Piper tensed in my grip, so I did the only logical thing. I let her go.

Once free, she turned her attention to the dagger in her hands, the beautiful steel blade reflecting her livid glare.

"I owe you an apology."

Annabeth stepped between him and Piper, who spat into the water. "You owe a hell of a lot more than that." She twirled her dagger in hand. "I'm almost tempted to go for castration, but I can only think of one man's dick I'd like to see at this point."

Annabeth choked on her own laughter as Jason and I gaped. Piper offered no indication of realizing the brashness of her words. Or caring, for that matter.

"Seriously?" Annabeth covered her mouth with her hand.

"What?" Piper said indifferently. "It's true."

My ears burned as a spark of electricity webbed across Jason's fingers, the nervous tell crackling raucously through the air.

"Besides," she continued, "it's not like he'll ever know what goes on in detail." Her eyes flared a dangerous shade of green. "Would you like to know? Do you want to know how Percy made me his _personal slut?_"

Jason backed away a few steps, small bolts running along the rims of his glasses. "Piper…"

"What, _Sparky_?" she snapped. "Upset that I'll drop to my knees on a moment's notice? Are you angry that I happily spread my legs for someone else? Your own friend at that?"

He balled his fists. "You know what, forget this. I wanted to apologize, not get berated. I screwed up, I know that. But this is ridiculous." He turned to leave. "Do what you will, but some of us have _real work_ to get to."

"_Real_ work!?" Annabeth fumed."So stopping some power hungry gods with a penchant for mind control doesn't qualify as 'real work?'"

He snorted. "We call that a typical Tuesday."

"Well this is what _we_ call a typical Tuesday," Piper snapped.

Before anyone had the time to stop her, she whipped around, wove her fingers through my hair, and yanked me in for a passionate kiss. An involuntary moan left my throat, followed by several inordinately exaggerated ones from her. Too dumbstruck to fight back or pull away, I found myself pulling at her lips, mirroring her enthusiasm. Further selling the image, she jumped against me, wrapping her legs around my waist and grinding her pelvis against mine.

Bewildered and staggering, I grabbed her toned buttocks and shuffled my feet in a desperate attempt to steady us both. Smacks of flesh filled the air as Jason stared, petrified by the image before him. Annabeth watched with interest, her fingers taking a none too subtle trip south.

As Piper sucked on my tongue, ferocious tears streaming down her cheeks. Biting. Nibbling. Her hands trailed through my hair, yanking along the thick locks until she was satisfied with my groans. The heat of her grinding pelvis increased, sending small flames of lust flickering into my growing erection.

She pulled away, unwrapping her legs from my waist.

Wild ferocity in her eyes, she whirled on her heel and glared at Jason. "Well, while you're off doing work, _he_'s going to be _working me_!" She latched her hand around my wrist and hauled me past him. "We're going to fuck each other's brains out and you can jerk off to that image for all I care!"

Jason didn't seem to notice when we passed him, nor when Piper shoved past his shoulder with her own. Rather, he stared at the spot we were standing seconds prior, unable to process what just happened. Honestly, I couldn't help but wonder the same thing.

Annabeth quirked an eyebrow and followed, shooting a pitied glance to him. "I hope she was worth it."

No more needed to be said. She took her leave and followed the two of us as Piper dragged me along in her furious determination to fuck my brains out.

If and when he left his spot, I couldn't be sure. By the time I started to register what happened, Piper hauled me around a corner and into an empty alleyway, and pinned me against the wall.

I gulped, unsure of what to say or do. My hands yearned to take her lean ass cheeks into their grip once more. A blazing heat fueled my erection, desperate for relief. All the while, Piper stared at me like a lioness in a feeding frenzy.

With my expectation of her acting on her promise to Jason, imagine my surprise when she didn't start shoving her hand down my pants or her tongue down my throat. Rather, she buried her face into my chest and sobbed, kneading her long fingers into the fabric of my shirt.

"Yep, I thought so."

Annabeth stood a few feet away, watching with her arms crossed and an expression of concern on her face.

As the situation pieced itself together in my head, I wrapped my arms around my weeping future wife and hugged her more tightly against my chest. Oblivious to all other things, only her tears, sobs, and sniffles mattered to me. Not the public setting nor the garbage tossed along our feet. No. Only the tears. Only the sobs.

What may have been a few minutes or an hour passed. The heaving cries of Piper turned to mute sniffles as she rubbed her eyes into my tee shirt. I stroked her hair and rubbed her back, unsure of the right thing to say.

"So… I guess you didn't bring me back here to fuck my brains out?"

Annabeth slapped her palm against her face, and I could only assume that her unamused frown hid behind her hand..

Piper let out a teary giggle. "No, I didn't. But Jason doesn't know that."

With an impressed smirk on her lips, Annabeth stepped forward and joined the hug session. A series of trembles passed though Piper as she attempted to hold herself together. For a solid twenty seconds, she managed. However, when Annabeth let out a content sigh, the waterworks started up once more.

"I love you guys," she sobbed, pressing a firm kiss to my lips.

The calm smile on Annabeth's face turned to an expression of shock the moment Piper redirected her attention for her lips following mine. However, despite her wide eyes and rigid stance, she never pulled away. Rather, after a few seconds, she relaxed into the kiss and let Piper take the lead for a few seconds.

When she pulled away, Piper wiped her eyes and smiled. "I think we've delayed long enough."

"Are you sure?" Annabeth asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

_Fine… Frustrated, insecure, neurotic, emotional… Yeah, that sounds about right…_

Annabeth grimaced. "Alright. I read the sign on the way over." She pointed towards an adjacent alley. "We need to go four blocks that way."

"Four blocks it is then," Piper said, an obvious mask of careless joy concealing her true emotions. "Let's get going."

She turned and began her way down the alley.

As I moved to follow, Annabeth latched her hand onto my arm and yanked me back.

"Talk to her," she said, her eyes piercing into my soul. "While I'm searching, talk to her. She needs you right now."

I stared blankly for a moment, but nodded right after. "Of course."

She squeezed my hand for a few seconds before pulling me in for a kiss of her own. Choppy breaths passed through her nose as she lazily pressed her lips to mine, only to be calmed the second I wrapped my arms around her.

"I missed you," she said into the kiss. "With everything that's happened-"

"Shhh. Just enjoy it."

And she did. As did I. For a few seconds longer, we simply enjoyed the embrace of one another as our lips pressed and plucked at one another.

We pulled away, a slight mirth glowing between us and pushing back the grim mood that our dockside encounter had put us in. Without another word, she took my hand and led the way behind to follow Piper, who was tapping her foot on the ground with her arms crossed at the end of the alley.

"Let's save the kissing and body rubbing for another time," Piper said when we reached her. "For right now, we have a house to find."

* * *

Of all the things that stood out to me as we approached Annabeth's house, it was the architecture. Row upon row of pastel Victorian houses lined the hills like Easter themed dominoes.

_Since when was I the one drawn to architecture?_

Annabeth's house looked no different than the last time I saw it, save for the scattered military themed toys on the porch. The baby blue paint was faded to a near gray, blending it quite well with the fog.

When I first met Mr. Chase, I expected some demonic figure with horns and fangs. And then I met him. During this visit, I expected to be greeted with aviator goggles and a flight cap. And then the door opened.

"Annabeth?"

Though muffled through the World War era gas mask, the voice indisputably belonged to Annabeth's father, Frederick Chase.

"Hey, dad," she mumbled. "It's been a while."

For all of the times Annabeth recounted her more recent visits, she always described their interactions as awkward at best. If the greeting was anything to go by, awkward was an understatement. Mr. Chase shuffled forward, his arms reaching out. Every step he took resulted in him retracting his arms only to reach out once more, as if he couldn't decide if he wanted to hug his daughter or run back into the house.

"Just hug your dad already," Piper said.

Annabeth grimaced, but leaned forward and gave her father an awkward side hug.

When their three second reunion came to an end, Mr. Chase pulled his gas mask free from his head, leaving his blonde hair in a rat's nest.

"I'm going to guess this isn't a social visit?"

"When you're right, you're right," Annabeth replied.

His shoulders sagged. "I see. Well, come on in. Anyone hungry?"

* * *

Despite the uncomfortable reintroductions and introduction of Piper, the Chase family seemed no different than the last time I visited. Her half brothers were quite a bit bigger than before, and swapped out their love of LEGO robots for a Wii gaming system. We didn't see much of them. Mrs. Chase was a fair bit reserved, spending more time trying to talk with Piper than Annabeth.

Once all of the pleasantries were exchanged and the brief small talk came to a close, Mr. Chase led us upstairs and into Annabeth's room.

"We haven't changed anything since your last… visit. Only did some mild cleaning, except for the closet. We know how you are about—"

"Thanks, dad. We won't be too long."

He frowned, but said nothing further. All the energy drained from his shoulders as he nodded and returned downstairs.

"I know I haven't seen enough to be the judge," Piper said, "but he's really trying to reach out." She turned to Annabeth, who made a beeline for her makeshift desk. "Why the cold shoulder?"

"It's always like this," Annabeth replied. "The first few days are fine. Then, after my stay has expired, everything always goes downhill. My brothers get pushy and my stepmom always takes their side. My dad is hardly around, so he can only go off of what everyone says. It's their word against mine."

"Hm." Piper frowned. "Well, I could see your stepmom wasn't your biggest fan, but…" She shook her head, letting the sentence die before it left her mouth. "Anyways, what is it you're looking for?"

"A tome," she replied, turning her attention to her closet. "Chiron gave it to me a few years back. It covers all of the lesser known aspects of ancient heroes and monsters. The gods as well."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"Well, you remember Pandora?"

I nodded.

"After the incident with the pithos, she and Epimetheus had a daughter. That daughter and her eventual husband repopulated the world using Gaia's bones after the gods wiped out mankind with a massive flood. This was _way_ before they were widely worshipped. Like, before Prometheus brought fire to mankind."

I glanced towards the ceiling with an uneasy pit in my stomach.

"Anyways," she continued, shuffling through the contents in her closet, "the tome has stuff like that. The parts of the myths that the gods really don't want you to know."

"Alright," Piper said. "How can we help?"

"For the moment? You can sit down on my bed and explain why you went off on Jason the way you did."

The finality in her tone resulted in us both straightening our necks and sharing an uneasy glance with one another.

"Also," she continued, "if you're going to start making out or fucking on my bed, can you be sure to keep the volume down? The walls aren't the greatest."

While we both took our share of embarrassment, Piper eyed the bed and myself with an almost… amorous expression. After shaking her head and returning a frown to her face, she straightened her posture and took a seat on the bed. I followed.

"What's there to discuss?" She wrung her hands, staring at the floor.

I clasped both of her hands with my own. She faltered. A few seconds later, she tilted her head up to meet my gaze.

"On the first night," I said, "you told me you saw everything coming a mile away. Later, you told me you already had plans outside of him. So what happened? What changed?"

She tightened her grip around my finger. "Nothing, I…" She turned away. "I thought I was in control, but… seeing him. And the way he talked down to us, to _you_." Small droplets rolled down my chest as she leaned against me, nuzzling the crook of my neck.

I hugged her close, resting my hand on her hip. Her breath hitched, but I continued rubbing along her flank, bringing my hand to a rest on the small of her back.

"I'm tired of playing on both sides," she continued. "First because my father was a hostage, then because my… boyfriend was a Roman. Now-" she raised her eyes to mine, nothing but raw love shining in them "-I have no questions about what side I'm on."

I wasn't quite sure when she pushed her lips to mine, but by the time she pulled away, I was laying back on the bed with her straddling my waist. Her hair hung from her head in loose braids and wild locks. Despite the red trails staining her cheeks, she smiled down at me and brushed her fingers through my hair.

My fingers squeezed her hips against my will, to which she let out a soft moan. Her lips parted, her gaze shifting from love to lust. She ground her hips, rubbing the warmth between her legs on the rapidly developing erection between mine.

Ever present desire in her eyes, she took both of my hands in her own. Each one was sent to a different destination: one to her mouth, the other to her waistline. Her lips took one finger between, trapping it as she sucked on it with a relaxed moan. The other hand inched closer to her burning core, pressing against the taut skin of her lean belly as she pushed the tips of my fingers beneath her panties.

"Got it!"

Startled, Piper fell to my side, eyes wide and chest heaving. I wasn't much better. My face was flushed and my hands were shaky.

Annabeth walked in from her closet with a book the size of four textbooks in her arms. She scanned over a page towards the beginning before raising her eyes to us.

"Oh, was I interrupting?"

We both took our share of embarrassment, but made no comment.

"You'll have plenty of time for that later, but this is important."

She dropped the book in front of us. Even at such a small height, the weight of the time nearly capsized the bed the moment it hit the mattress. The spring squealed in their strain to hold it.

"Didn't you say this was the information the gods wanted to keep secret?"

She smirked. "Says a lot, huh? Some of the stuff in here is still known, such as how Ares loses just about every fight he has against Athena and how Artemis is very infamous for slaying women and not just men."

I frowned. "I didn't know that."

She quirked her eyebrow. "If you want to give this a read, be my guest."

My stomach turned at the idea. "No thanks."

"Didn't think so. Anyways, I found what I was looking for. And I'm pretty sure I found the god who gave me the wine."

"You seriously don't remember?"

She frowned. "If I did, I wouldn't have put myself through visiting my family."

_Point taken._

"Let me guess, Dionysus? Giving you wine, inflicting us with madness, it fits the bill. That's not to mention he doesn't exactly like either of us."

"He does seem the type, doesn't he? But no. You remember the story of Heracles?"

Piper scowled. "The stories are a lot better than the man."

Annabeth cocked a brow and curled her lip. "I'll take your word for it. Anyways, everyone knows about the labors. However, most people don't know why he had to do them in the first place."

"Wasn't it some sort of atonement? He killed someone, right?"

She nodded in affirmation. "His wife and children. But it was because someone inflicted him with madness, the same way you described what happened with Khione. He didn't have any control."

Piper and I shared an uncomfortable gaze. She scooted closer to me, grasping my hand with her own.

"Are we sure it wasn't Dionysus? Heck, maybe Ares. He doesn't like us and I doubt he liked the idea of another rival god."

"While you're not wrong about Ares, he's not the one who inflicted Heracles with madness. And I highly doubt he's the one who did it to you."

I squeezed Piper's hand. "Who then?"

She grimaced. "The royal pain in the ass we all know and hate, Hera."

* * *

**A/N - _"Where the Hades have you been!?"_ I know, I know. It's been quite a while, but that's how life works. _"Do you realize what Ignis put us through!?"_ I mean... I gave him the premises for each chapter...**

**Joking aside, you've got me back, for a little while at least. I can definitely tell that there seems to have been a disconnect for some people, as I still seem to have some who wished me luck for basic training. Here's the thing, I never went. Rather, my ship out date got pushed back until mid May. Probably for the best too. Ignis can attest to the injuries I've suffered since that point. Or he'll throw me under the bus. Whichever comes first. But to the chapter.**

**I can already hear the outrage. _"Ronin, we've been waiting for over a month for an update! Where's the good stuff!?"_ Well, if this chapter wasn't enough of a hint, you should be able to tell that the good stuff is right around the corner. That said, the next chapter will take me a while to get completed. Consider this like Silena's chapter. It took me quite a while to get her chapter done, but it seems like it also became one of the most popular. I want to make sure I get this right. That said, look at everything that transpired. Oooh, the plot continues to thicken. With Hera's reveal, that leaves only one more deity left. I've seen countless speculations regarding the identities of the ones plucking the strings. Maybe you'll have it figured out before then. Trust me, the hints are there. Plus, you have a good long while until the final reveal. Oh, who could it be...**

**With all of the weeks past, I've noticed a fair amount of people have either gone back and reread the whole thing or they have just discovered this story have covered everything within a few days. That being said, here is my questions. To those who read them, which lemony chapter is your favorite at this point, and why? For those who don't read them, which chapter do you believe has the most impact, and why? Answer one. Answer both. Let the world see your thoughts.**

**With everything that's past, I have to give one massive shoutout to Ignis Cogitare. While not everyone is super stoked about his one shots about my story, he has been both my beta reader and a massive source of motivation for me. No one can attest more than him that my life has taken a hectic turn. Despite that, he's more or less kept me on track and made sure that this chapter was written despite my setbacks. He deserves his props. Lest we forget that much of the editing is a result of him at this point.**

**If you _really_ want to show him some love, come on over and join the Discord. The code is in my profile page. Give him some love personally. It'll be much appreciated, I promise you. As a bonus, I've recently gotten an artist to create images for each of the nymphs. Save for the anime art style (big heads), I could not have been happier about them. If you want more insight to their appearance, there's only one spot you can find it.**

**I think this has gone on long enough. You've got lives. I've got another chapter to write. Hopefully it won't take me _too_ long to get it out to you guys. To the massive amounts of newcomers since my last chapter, welcome aboard. Strap in. Enjoy the ride. We all know Percy has (and hasn't). As always, leave a review. This is Ronin signing off.**


	46. Ménage à Trois

Ménage à Trois

Fuming, Annabeth resigned herself to her desk chair, massaging her temples as she futilely attempted to calm herself.

"I should've known," she muttered. "All these years…"

"You're not being fair to yourself," I consoled "Look at the schemes she's pulled already. She knew what she was doing."

"_Exactly_," she snapped. "From dumping cow shit by my bed to wiping Percy's memory, she's pulled this crap before." Her gaze turned toward the ceiling, likely imagining Hera once more hanging from the sky with an anvil strapped to her feet.

"Listen to yourself." Piper stepped forward, cupping Annabeth's cheeks. "Trust me, I get it. Look at what she did to all of us. She made Percy believe he was Roman. She turned the entirety of my teenage life into one giant Mist induced hallucination." Her voice adopted a softer tone as she wiped her cheek clean of tears. "You can't blame yourself. There's only one person to blame for this, and we can all agree that she's bad news."

Annabeth pulled her head away and leaned it back against the top of the chair. "On that, we agree." She let out a sigh. "I think we've finished up here." She leaned forward, pinching the bridge of her nose and blinking away her tears. "Please tell me that we're going to relax while visiting your dad."

Piper smiled deviously as she pulled Annabeth to her feet. "Depends on what you find relaxing. I have no intention of letting anyone go to bed without being _thoroughly_ relaxed."

Despite the temperature rising in my cheeks, I said nothing. Instead, I opted to stand up and put away the thirty pound tome.

"Please don't drop that!" Annabeth called.

"Have some faith-"

_THOOM!_

"Whoops..."

"Dammit, Seaweed Brain!"

We all left rather unceremoniously. Annabeth's dad voiced concern about the deafening thud, but didn't seem surprised to find out that it was caused by a book and a careless boyfriend. I suppose the red handprint on my cheek didn't help matters. The rest of her family wasn't around to see us off. Her brothers remained glued to their games and her stepmom didn't offer anything besides a glass of lemonade before we left.

"Are you sure you'll be okay out there?" her dad asked. "I can drive you if I need to."

"We'll be fine, dad. Besides, I don't think you can drive us to Malibu and back, and be home in time to complete your study."

He rubbed a cloth over the goggles of his gas mask. "When you're right, you're right." He let out a heaving sigh. "Be safe out there. Call me if you need something."

_Ha! If only._

"Yeah," she replied. "Of course."

Little more was exchanged before we left, save for a final awkward hug. Piper tried pressing the matter of talking things through with Mr. Chase and attempted to set up lunches with him, but Annabeth refused to offer much commentary in response. By the time she gave up on the endeavor, we had already reached the end of a pier.

"Alright," I said. "Let's hope Rainbow didn't wander too far."

* * *

Rainbow cut through the water at breakneck speeds, capping over one hundred knots. Remind me to get a read on the horsepower of this guy. Mind you, he ensured the ride stayed smooth, but that didn't keep the wind from nearly ripping the hair from our heads. Needless to say, we spent the entire trip huddled up and leaning forward, using his massive neck as our windbreaker.

"How does it feel to be on this side of the coast?" Piper called out, her voice nearly eclipsed by the roar of the parting waves and rushing air.

"Not sure," I replied. "Last time I was here, I was riding around in the Romans' sorry excuse for a navy." _Oh, the memories._ "The water is definitely colder on this side of the country though."

"Oh? So does that mean your nipples will get hard if I push you in?"

"Don't even think about it."

"Is this honestly how you two talk when I'm not around?" Annabeth commented.

Piper and I hesitated, before returning our attention to Annabeth. "Pretty much, yeah."

She scoffed, and I could almost see the exasperated smile she must have had on her face. "You're both going to get arrested one of these days, and I'll be reading a book while you get taken away."

Piper feigned a look of devastation, pressing her hand over her heart. "So you wouldn't even bail us out?"

Annabeth pushed out her lip, contemplating an answer. "Maybe after a week. You two need to learn your lesson, after all."

I was half tempted to fall off of Rainbow in mock heartbreak, but decided it wouldn't be in my best interest. The last thing I needed was for Annabeth to convince Rainbow to leave me behind. And if anyone could turn a hippocampus on me, it was Annabeth, even without being able to talk to it.

The rest of our trip remained more or less the same. It was sporadically punctuated with playful jabs and snarky retorts before Annabeth would reel us back in. On one occasion, Piper suggested playing "I Spy." It didn't last too long, given the ludicrous speeds we were traveling at.

As we neared the end of the first hour of travel, we went quiet. Piper hugged Rainbow's neck, I hugged her waist, and Annabeth, in turn, hugged mine. Though I could hardly hear her breaths, the warm air tickled my ear every few seconds. Of course, Piper's body radiated warmth like no other. So, despite the chilly ocean spray and the supersonic wind speeds, I managed to stay quite cozy in my nest of lovers.

Of course, as all good things must do, our trip came to an end. At some point, I noticed a subtle shift in the currents, and not too long after, Piper let out a sigh of… what was it? Relief? Exhaustion? Regret? She turned to the two of us with a weary smile on her face.

"Welcome to the snobbish hellhole I used to call home."

* * *

Honestly, when the McLean home came into view, I questioned whether or not Rainbow had accidently taken us back to Galínios. The mansions stretched across the coast, each as obnoxiously luxurious as mine, if not more so.

Piper's house… Well, it left me with a slight inferiority complex regarding my own mansion. While mine was situated comfortably along the coastline with the beach a mere stone's throw away, the McLean mansion seemed to laugh at the notion of being graced by the ocean breeze. Instead, we had to trek our way up a rocky coast until we reached her house, which cast its ostentatious glare down on the ocean from atop its very own isolated prominence.

During the walk up, Piper kept muttering to herself. Only a few bits managed to reach my ears. "It's so damned gaudy."

Annabeth seemed to be having a field day, if her shining eyes were anything to go by. Her gaze darted and scanned over every detail of the contemporary complex.

By time we reached the door, Piper's attention seemed to have shifted from hoping we didn't feel sorry for ourselves to sheer anxiety about seeing her father.

"It's been like six months since I've seen him," she said. "How… how can I…?"

I smirked internally and threw an arm around her shoulder. "If my reunion with my mom went well, then you'll be fine. Besides, what does he think you've been up to?"

She grimaced. "Well…"

"Pipes?" a voice called out.

Our attention turned towards the balcony above the front door. Standing there, his face worn and creased with stress and glee, yet still retaining the same ruggish good looks of a Spartan king, was none other than Tristan McLean.

Piper let out a choked sob. "Dad…"

For a few seconds, no one said anything. Father and daughter stared back at one another, as if unsure if the person in front of them was real.

"I'll be right down."

Before she could reply, he rushed inside. Annabeth and I turned to Piper, who continued staring at the balcony, her lower lip trembling. I placed a hand on her shoulder, to which she immediately grasped it with her own. Smiling gratefully, she took Annabeth's hand and dragged us both to her front door. We waited for only a few seconds longer before it opened before us.

"No. All of them," Mr. McLean hurriedly ordered into his phone. "Push back all the meetings. Clear the rest of my day."

He ended his call and slipped his phone into his pocket before wrapping his daughter in his arms, his breathing shaky and eyes moist with tears.

"God, Piper. It's been months."

"I know," she murmured into his chest. "I missed you."

His attention turned towards Annabeth and I. "Friends of yours?"

"Yeah." She pulled away. "Dad, I'd like you to meet—"

"Annabeth Chase," she cut in, holding out her hand. "This is my boyfriend, Percy Jackson."

His shoulders relaxed even as his brow furrowed. "Percy Jackson… That name sounds familiar. Have you been on the news?"

"Uh…"

"A couple times," Annabeth said. "We work with Delphi Strawberry Services in New York. Percy is a master of keeping them properly hydrated. A couple stories have been done on us."

I sent her a silent 'Thank you' as he rubbed his chin. "Delphi… Is that the joint group of the Wilderness School you told me about?" He turned to Piper.

"Something like that," she said sheepishly. "That's actually why we're here. Our group was visiting the west coast, so I thought we could drop by."

I frowned, not missing the slight hint of charmspeak in her voice.

"Makes sense. Have to get new trading partners. If you're looking for one, I'd be happy to pick up on it."

All of us went wide eyed, but Annabeth stepped in. "We'll be sure to tell our superiors that. In the meantime, they gave us the day off. As long as we check in with them every few hours, we won't have to meet back with them until tomorrow afternoon."

"That works perfectly," he said, his eyes shining. "My whole day is free. Do you have any ideas for activities or did you just want to lounge around and talk."

"Actually," Piper said, "I've been trying to teach Percy how to surf. He needs work, but he's got potential. Think the master could give him some tips?"

His eyes gleamed as he turned to me. "A grommet, huh? Well, you're in luck. Let's get ready and I'll show you what I know."

* * *

I wish I could say that the training went well. Perhaps, I learned some wicked moves like breakdancing on the board while traveling across a wave. Instead, the only familiarity I gained was the sensation of water flooding my ears and the never ending thought of "Hey, why is my board sha— bluuuurrb!"

In all honesty, I shouldn't have expected anything different. When I first saw Piper surf, she seemed like the epitome of great surfing. After watching her father in action, I realized she was just playing the role.

Said girl was in the middle of taking a break while I was in the middle of kicking some seaweed off of my legs, joining Annabeth in some much needed relaxation. Clad once more in a fine violet bikini, Piper took extra care to ensure I saw her rubbing her legs over with lotion. Oh, how my hands wished they were doing that job.

Obviously noting that I was eye-fucking his daughter, Tristan paddled his board up to mine, his expression difficult to read.

"I don't think your girlfriend would take lightly to that."

I cursed silently. "Am I that obvious?"

His expression cracked with a sly smile. "For someone who's spent decades in the acting business, you may as well be screaming."

Brushing some of my soaking hair out of my face, I tittered. "Things are… complicated."

"Heh, I know all about complicated. But in any case, what about my daughter would pull you away from your girlfriend? She's just as good looking, so it's not the looks."

He was right. Hades, next to Piper, Annabeth looked right at home, resting on a lounge chair, adorned in one of Piper's older two pieces. I had earlier noticed, while they were almost the same size, Piper's breasts were just a tad smaller. While Annabeth never really cared too much about properly fitting clothes, it was difficult not to notice her chest seemed… restrained.

"I met your daughter only a couple months ago. My girlfriend, I've known for a few years now. But a lot has happened in those months. I'm always going to stand by my girlfriend, no matter what, but lately, there have been some… concerns."

My thoughts strayed to the final lines of the prophecy once more. "_And the lord will fall by his lover's virtue." _Why couldn't I get that line out of my head? It wasn't fair, for Annabeth or myself. It was all because of someone else that our relationship took a nosedive, so why was I still worried that she was the subject of the prophecy?

"Listen, I won't pretend to know what's going on in your lives, nor will I claim to be an expert with relationships. To this day, I'll never forget the face of Piper's mom. How beautiful she was…"

His downcast expression almost made me choke up. Evidently, he never managed to get over Aphrodite. A part of me couldn't be sure whether to envy him or pity him. He'll never get to know how… difficult his lost lover could truly be.

My attention returned to my girlfriend and fiancé. Both were chatting, laughing at some funny memory perhaps, likely at my expense, not that I could hold it against her. In times like those, all troubles seemed to melt away. Even from the distance between us, I could still imagine that dazzling smile that made my heart flutter, those sparkling gray eyes that shined like mirrors in the proper light, the bounce of her princess curls that caught my attention since I first laid eyes on her.

"Anyways," Tristan continued, pulling himself from his memories, "Piper is much better when it comes to people than I am. She just has this way of working with them." A smile of... regret? Forlornness? … appeared on his face. "More than once, it's gotten her into trouble, but I know she's a good girl. If you ever need help with someone, especially your girlfriend, she's the one to talk to."

_Sage words from the father of the girl I'm plowing…_

"Thanks for the tip. And who knows? Maybe you'll find someone who can fill the gap that Piper's mom left. Something tells me she's moved on long ago. Maybe it's time you did the same."

He remained silent for some time, staring at the deep blue waters before him. When he did speak, it was only after turning his head back. "Looks like we've got a good one coming. Let's go. Remember, keep your center of gravity low."

* * *

"Ugh! I swear, these movies start blending together after a while," Piper complained. "Can't we get any that break from the norm?"

After attempting to watch some recent movies we had missed while indulging in a fine dinner of spinach enchiladas (a common meal developed by Leo apparently), we all groaned at the prospect of throwing on another unoriginal plot. Only when she got absolutely desperate, Piper threw on an old Disney film; one with a main character that made Hephaestus look pretty.

"When in doubt, pick something old," Piper said, laying herself across the laps of both Annabeth and myself, her back on Annabeth's thighs, her legs draped over mine.

Her father frowned. "This movie isn't even as old as you are. What does that say about you?"

She let out a strained groan as she arched her back. "Oh, I slipped my disk! Yep, I'm old."

He rolled his eyes. "And what does that say about me?"

"You're ancient," she replied, not even missing a beat.

Annabeth and I snickered. The casual banter put us at ease, and experience made rare by recent events. Seeing Piper laughing with her father was almost surreal. The fact that a demigod other than me actually got along with her mortal parent...

As he let out a post laughter sigh, he checked his watch. "Oh, dear. Is that the time?" He stood and turned to Piper, giving her an apologetic look. "I put off quite a few meetings today, so tomorrow is packed."

She let out a sigh, leaning her head back on the arm of the couch. "I guess it wasn't fair to hold you up all day. Still have your medicine?"

He gave a sad smile in response.

"Remember, two tabs and a glass of water. No alcohol."

His smile morphed into a chuckle. "You're here for one day and you've already turned into your grandmother."

As if summoned by a secret cue, a member of the house staff walked up to him with a tray in hand. On it was a glass of water and a bottle of pills.

"But," he continued, "I'm glad you still remember."

Her expression turned to something I didn't expect. Pain.

After he downed his medicine, he stood and rattled his head. "Don't stay up too late. Feel free to use the guest bedrooms."

As he turned to walk away, Piper called out. "Hey, dad."

He looked back over his shoulder.

"Since you're going to be busy tomorrow, do you think you could keep the staff from trying to wake us up? We've spent the past several months needing to wake up early, so getting up when we want to for once would be greatly appreciated."

Though subtle, the charmspeak in her voice still was almost able to convince me that she was telling the truth. The effect seemed markedly more drastic on her father.

"Of course. Get as much sleep as you need." He turned his attention to all of us. "Goodnight, you three."

We replied in turn as he left for bed.

Piper shifted her head on the arm of the couch. "Though I don't think we'll be doing too much sleeping."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Did you seriously just dupe your father into letting us recover from a night of sleeping together?"

She picked her head up. "The three of us have an entire night alone. Did you honestly expect me not to take advantage?"

I laughed, rubbing the exposed portion of her thigh.

_Seems like Calypso was right._

"And while I may not be dressed in my lingerie, it wouldn't be fair if you couldn't dress sexy too."

Whether or not she was dressed in lingerie, I wasn't too sure about the not dressing sexy aspect. Sure, she was only dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a tee shirt, whereas Annabeth adopted a full pair of jeans instead, but they both looked more than appealing in my eyes.

"Aww," Annabeth moaned in mock disappointment. "So you won't lend me something to turn on my boyfriend?"

She smirked and propped herself up on her elbows. "Are you sure you want to put the strain on your chest? It won't be comfortable."

Annabeth gave me a sideways glance, her lips curling into a devious smile. "I think I can manage for a little while."

Piper pondered that for a few seconds while I attempted to swallow back my arousal.

_Think of something disgusting!_

_Boobs!_

_Not helping!_

_Piper in a nightie!_

_Stop!_

_Annabeth in stockings!_

_Shut up!_

Before I could reel in any control over my arousal, Piper rubbed the back of her thigh over my developing erection. "Seems like someone isn't against the idea." She sat up, scooting backwards until her back was pressed against the arm of the couch. "First, though, I need some collateral. A way to make sure you're really on board with this. Percy's is rubbing against my foot, but what about you?" She turned to Annabeth.

A few seconds passed as Annabeth considered her words, the gears definitely turning in her head.

When she came to a decision, she latched her hands on either side of Piper's face and pulled her in for a kiss, much to her surprise. Once she realized what was happening, Piper let herself melt into the kiss, adjusting her technique as necessary for Annabeth's more… tactical approach. The show didn't help ease the tension in my pants.

Pulling away with an audible smack, Annabeth grinned at Piper's flushed expression.

"That definitely works." She stood up and pulled at the belt loops of her shorts. "Why don't we move this to my room?"

Annabeth turned to me, an evil gleam in her eyes. "I thought you'd never ask."

Not a second later, she grabbed my hand and hauled me up. After turning off the movie, Piper led the way to her room with a slight bounce in her step.

"So, what's the medicine for?"

The bounce vanished. Her shoulders drooped. "Before I met you guys, before all of this, he was kidnapped by one of the giants, Encaladus. He spent weeks slowly being roasted or mentally tormented. Despite my mom giving me a potion to get rid of those memories after we saved him, he never fully recovered. He still has nightmares about it, even though he doesn't know why. The medicine helps suppress those nightmares."

_You just _had _to ask…_

"On the plus side," she said, turning around and walking backwards through the hallways, "it did wonders for his acting career. Going missing for several months with no memory of what happened… Well, several offers were sent his way about making a movie about it."

Despite her words, I could tell she didn't believe it. There are no plus sides to getting involved with the giants, unless they wind up dead by the end of the meeting. Even then, it rarely ended without consequence.

"Anyways," she continued, twirling around to walk normally, "we're not here to talk about all that. We're here to get laid."

Annabeth's face morphed into a conflicted expression, likely wanting to continue the subject at hand, but knowing that some topics are simply best left alone.

When we reached a door that looked no different than the rest, Piper rested her hand on the door handle, a grimace on her lips, and paused. "Don't judge too harshly." She opened the door and ushered us both inside.

"Woah."

If Piper's room on Galínios was anything to go by, she had a long way to go before she reached the level of decoration necessary to meet her standards. And those were some quite… eclectic standards. Woven rugs contrasted with the plush carpeting, each one designed with different animals and letters I couldn't begin to recognize. Along her walls, talismans were mixed with the odd piece of sports equipment and shelves containing various other trinkets, from beaded jewelry to gold watches to a mantle of feathers draped over a leather skirt. Dangling from a peg, near a leaning over painting, was a blowgun suspended by a leather strap. All in all, there was no real sense of togetherness. There were bits and pieces of Piper all over, from her heritage to her hobbies to her comforts. No wonder she was worried about showing us, the room was the spitting image of her.

"This is beautiful," I said, not quite caring if anyone heard me.

"I know it's not exactly nice to look at but…" Piper pivoted on her heel, staring me straight in the eyes. "What?"

I threw my arms up, gesturing to as much of the room as I could fit within my sight. "This room screams 'you.' I wouldn't change a thing."

Crossing her arms, she frowned, her brow furrowed. "That's not funny. If you're going to tease me—"

"I'm not teasing anybody! I _wish_ I had a room like this. The only decorations I get are cracked wallpaper and a candle."

Eyes widening, she dropped her arms to her sides. "You're serious?"

"What would he gain from lying?" Annabeth said. "And while this room is certainly unique, I agree that you shouldn't change it. It's a reflection of who you are. Take pride in it."

She went silent for a few moments, staring at the floor as a tear rolled down her cheek. Once it hit the carpet, she blinked the rest away and grabbed Annabeth by the wrist.

"Sit down on the bed," she commanded, her voice laced with an unnecessary amount of charmspeak. Her smile turned coy. "And be patient."

Annabeth in hand, she marched towards her walk-in closet and closed the door behind her, ensuring I couldn't go peeping as they changed. Frankly, I had no intention of doing so. The anticipation of what was to come was all it took to tide me over… for the next half hour.

I ran my fingers along the plush fleece blankets. Her bed seemed unnecessarily large for a single occupant, yet something was off. Her nightstand was bare, the expected items instead residing upon the end table by her wall facing couch. The oddity troubled me nearly until the charmspeak was shaken from my mind, and I strolled around the room once more.

After spending time in Rachel's old room, back when she was still living with her parents, I thought nothing could compare to the sheer vastness of her living space. While Piper's wasn't as spacious, it made up for it with the sheer quantity of furniture and decorations. Among them was a small lounging space, consisting of two face-to-face couches, one of which was back to the wall; though that may not always have been the case.

At the legs of the aforementioned couch, the carpet looked distressed and worn, as if someone frequently shifted the couch back and forth. Only moments later, the reasoning dawned on me.

_That's where she slept._

Rather than retire into a luxurious bed, she chose to make a little nook for herself to sleep in, hiding away from the extravancies of her father's purchases. I could imagine the struggle she went through every night, dragging the couch away from the wall just to tuck herself into the small alcove it formed.

My shoulders sagged. On a few occasions, she had mentioned how she yearned for her father's attention as a child, eventually leading to her landing in the Wilderness school as a result of that desperation. If the room was anything to go by, her father attempted to substitute his attention with his money. Definitely not something you want to do to a child.

_No wonder she was on edge about this room. It may be designed to her tastes, but everything here is probably a reminder of her father's failed attempts at keeping her content._

A part of me wanted to throw a tantrum, to rip apart the room piece by piece and build another one with her. Annabeth could help. We could create a room that she actually wanted, a room that she could honestly say she was comfortable to sleep in.

As my thoughts trailed towards the possibilities, the sound of two giggling girls yanked my attention away. Quick as I could be, I launched myself back to the bed and turned away from the closet door, pretending that I wasn't just imagining the room's destruction.

The door opened.

"Oh, _Percy_," a melodic voice called out.

I turned my head. "Di immortales…"

If someone told me two weeks prior that both Annabeth and Piper would be hugging one another, foreheads pressed together, heads tilted in my direction, each wearing a pair of "fuck me" eyes, I would have probably laughed it off and attempted to get the image out of my head… unsuccesfully. And yet, there they stood, each clad in a lavish set of lacy lingerie, in that very position. With their hands running along the flanks of the other, they teased and tortured both their partner and I with the lovely sight.

"Like what you see?" Piper asked, grazing her fingers up Annabeth's neck.

Throat dry, I nodded, barring no reservations regarding how much my loins boiled at the sight of them.

A sly smile graced her lips. "Bien."

Those lips parted for only a second, turning to the woman in front of her. And then they kissed.

And kissed.

And kissed.

Hands shaking, I forced a dry swallow, attempting to take in the sight before me. Despite every hormone screaming for me to strip myself and take them, my willpower held me in place, eager to see what else they would do.

For several minutes, their lips locked beautifully, parted only by their tongues, each dancing with the other, slipping, sliding, and twirling as their lips grew ever wetter. Their hands roamed over the body of the other, pressing along the legs, rubbing the hips, tugging the hair. Their bodies molded together, mixing in a beautiful concoction of bronze and gold.

Only my involuntary whine ended their kissing, making me scream internally for them to keep going.

"Aww," Piper teased. "Do you want a taste?"

All shame cast aside, I bobbed my head up and down.

"Okay." Her lips curled into a sultry smile as she dropped her arms from Annabeth, who seemed none too pleased about losing her kissing partner. Slinking her way forward, hips swaying ever so slightly, she twirled a strand of hair around her graceful finger. "Just a taste."

At some point, she started kissing me, though I couldn't recall when. Her wet lips took their time massaging mine, pulling and pressing as her tongue delved into my mouth, an eager moan echoing in her throat.

"That's all for now," she said into the kiss, dragging out my lip as she pulled away.

A pathetic whine was the only response I could muster as she returned to Annabeth, ensuring my eyes were locked on her lean rear with every step.

"What should we do next?" Annabeth asked when Piper reached her.

A few seconds passed.

"I have an idea," Piper replied. She glanced at me, her smile coy. "Sit right there and enjoy the show."

Not a moment later, she led Annabeth by her hand, strolling towards the head of the bed, opposite of where I was forced to sit. Giggling, she rolled Annabeth onto the soft bed, letting her rest herself in the soft recesses of her numerous pillows.

Legs spread, Annabeth moaned as she rubbed herself through her warm turquoise lace, two fingers massaging her panties as her free hand caressed her straining bust. Eyes locked on mine, she rolled her hips forward, enticing me to approach as she drew her fingers through the moistening lace.

Piper crawled her way towards her, stretching herself across the bed like a cat. Back arched, legs swaying in the air, she pulled Annabeth's hand to her mouth and licked the juices from her fingers.

"So sweet," she moaned. "I can't wait to taste more."

Kiss upon kiss, she trailed down Annabeth's body, along her cheek, down her throat, trailing over her bridled bosom; each peck glancing its way across her sun kissed skin. A mere click of her concealed fingers and the breasts remained bridled no more.

Exposed to the crisp Pacific air for only a moment, Annabeth's bountiful bosom quickly found its way into Piper's clutches, by means of her soft hands or softer lips.

"Oh," she cooed as her best friend suckled her teat, flicking her tongue over the hardening nipple. Her back arching further, she attempted to press her bosom farther into her lover's graces, but Piper was already moving on. Parting her mouth slightly, she pressed herself between Annabeth's breasts, her hot breath steaming against the valley of skin, interrupted only by the cool flow of fresh air as Piper breathed in once again.

Slowly the Cherokee girl dragged her face down the increasingly frequent rising and falling chest of the girl before her. She stuck out her upper lip, allowing it to drag out along her satiny, trim stomach. The two girls released hot breaths almost in unison, Piper's breaths against Annabeth's stomach seemingly forcing the pants from her. Her tongue darted out and traced a spiral across her stomach, it's pink glistening barely visible to me from my vantage point.

Lower and lower she went, trading her kisses for the occasional nip at Annabeth's taut skin. Mewling in pleasure, Annabeth attempted to clutch Piper's hair in an attempt to push her even further, but Piper refused to pass her waistline.

"No no," Piper teased. "Don't get hasty."

Red faced with frustration, Annabeth whined. Despite her efforts to shove Piper's head between her legs, every effort was met with a none to delicate nibble along her waist.

Never could I recall a time when Annabeth seemed so helpless, so desperate. I wanted to tell her to use her legs, trap Piper beneath her thighs and take what she wanted. However, the aberrant curiosity of what Piper had in store for her left me silent, and the same thing seemed to keep Annabeth complacent with Piper's wishes.

"What's the matter?" Piper whispered. "Want something you can't get?" She finally lowered her head, yet delved far lower than what Annabeth hoped. "What do you want me to do?" She trailed down the rim of Annabeth's thigh, nipping and kissing the firm flesh until a trail of red specks marked her path.

Rather than giving in, she attempted to kick Piper away, bringing up her knee to force a position change. Her attempts resulted in nothing but Piper's mischievous laughter.

"Really? That's how you want to play this? Okay."

She pulled away from Annabeth, her hands finally leaving the muscled flesh of her legs. The pitiful whimper that resulted almost made me dive right in to satiate her evident need. However, when I moved to do so, Piper shot me a deathly glare that spoke clear as day: "Be a good boy, or you're next."

I decided to listen.

"So," Piper said, returning her attention to the desperate demigoddess before her, "you want me to get you off?"

Stubborn and prideful as ever, Annabeth curled her lips into a sharp pout and snaked her own hand downward.

"Oh, no you don't," Piper said, rushing to her side and yanking her hand away from her pantyline. "Only I get to touch you. Is that clear?"

A startled gaze was the only answer Annabeth could give.

"You want that, don't you?" She cupped Annabeth's cheek and brushed her thumb over her lips. "You want me to touch you. You want me to… lick you." Her final words, she whispered into Annabeth's ear, barely loud enough to reach mine. If my own dizziness was anything to go by, the charmspeak she wove into her words should have left Annabeth debilitated.

As if trying to prove me right, Annabeth nodded, desperation evident in her eyes.

"Hmm. Good," Piper said, wrapping her fingers around Annabeth's jaw, pressing into her cheeks. "But not good enough." Squeezing her cheeks until her lips puckered, Piper brushed her lips over Annabeth's. "Beg me."

Startled, Annabeth could only groan in confusion.

"Beg me to touch you. Beg me to lick you." Her grip on Annabeth's cheeks tightened as the panic rose in the blonde's eyes. "Or—" she turned Annabeth's head to face me "— I'm going to make you watch as Percy fucks the daylights out of me and you won't get a single touch from either of us."

Annabeth shuddered beneath her. The fiery stubbornness that she so clearly fought with earlier dissipated instantly Piper said that. I won't deny that the idea of carrying out what Piper said seemed cruel, and yet I found it oddly erotic. At least, that's what the throbbing erection in my pants told me.

Her will caved, Annabeth attempted to voice herself, but her words only came out as garbled groans through her unwillingly puckered lips.

"What was that?" Piper asked, tightening her grip. "I couldn't hear you."

A shrill whine reverberated through Annabeth's throat as she attempted to shake Piper's grip from her cheeks, but the Cherokee girl refused to let go.

"Come one, Annabeth," she said, her voice soft, yet commanding. "Beg."

No longer did Annabeth simply shake her head to get away. Rather, her entire body thrashed in her attempts to escape Piper, and after an excruciating thirty seconds of wrestling herself away, she managed to escape the clutches of Piper's firm grasp.

"_Please!_" she begged. "Touch me! Kiss me! Lick me!"

A smirk of smug satisfaction shone on Piper's face. "Good girl. Go ahead and lie down. I'll take good care of you."

Evident relief in her eyes, Annabeth obeyed and laid her head against the pillows.

Licking her lips, Piper retraced her path of red marks down Annabeth's body, choosing to drag on the teasing just a bit longer, rather than immediately grant her the promised relief.

As a whine began to leave Annabeth's lips, a soft nibble cut it short and replaced it with a squeak.

"Lift up your butt," Piper commanded.

She obeyed without hesitation, even swaying her hips a bit to show her eagerness.

Once more, Piper took me by surprise. I expected her to slip Annabeth's panties down her legs. Maybe she'd take it slow just to taunt her. Maybe she'd do so quickly just to get things moving along.

Instead, she took it slow, agonizingly so, in fact. On the same note, I couldn't have predicted that she'd tug and pull at Annabeth's panties and slide them down her legs using only her teeth. Inch by inch she went, brushing her chin over Annabeth's thighs, past her knees, and down her shins, her teeth gingerly clutching the undoubtedly expensive piece of lacy fabric.

When she finally tugged the garment free of Annabeth's feet, she shot a glance back towards me, a wicked gleam shining in her eyes. More wicked still was the smile on her lips. Said lips needed only be wetted by the sliding of her tongue before she returned her attention to my heaving girlfriend.

A hand on each of Annabeth's knees, she pushed apart the golden legs with no resistance. Rather, Annabeth seemed to try and accelerate Piper's actions by latching her legs on her shoulders.

"I don't think so," Piper said, pushing up Annabeth's legs until her knees were pressed against her chest. "You'll keep these legs right here so we can give Percy a good view, understand?"

She nodded without hesitation, chewing her lower lip.

Satisfied, Piper lowered her head to the moist lips between Annabeth's legs and brushed them over with her own.

Eyes fixated on the demigoddess leaning down between her legs, Annabeth breathed a sigh of relief as Piper at long last kissed and licked at her dripping labia. With one hand, she massaged her breast. With the other, she dared to reach lower. Evidently, Piper took no issue.

"Gods, yes," she moaned breathily.

As she massaged her clit, Piper continued toying with her leaking lower lips. A few fingers rubbed the sensitive folds of her vulva as her tongue ravished the pink slit between them, every touch met with a mewl, a moan. Her tongue slipped into her tight core, curling and twisting, setting off every nerve it touched.

Toes curled and back arched, Annabeth let out breathy moans, punctuated only by the occasional squeal when Piper reached particularly sensitive spots. Her hips bucked in an effort to pull Piper deeper, but she never could quite get the satisfaction she so desperately desired. As Piper moved her lips to suckle on the clit before her, Annabeth threaded her fingers and pulled at her best friend's hair. Whether or not she was coherent enough to realize what she was doing, I couldn't tell you. Still, she continued pulling, and Piper kept sucking.

"Ohh, _yes!_" Annabeth moaned into her words, her hips trembling as Piper prodded her clit with her tongue while suckling on it.

Annabeth's legs shivered as she kept them raised, her feet swaying to and fro. Her chest heaved as she continued playing with her breasts, pinching and twisting her nipple. Sweat gleamed on her body, giving her a golden glow to rival Apollo's. And every drop, every glimmer, was a result of Piper's deft handiwork.

Once finished with her clit, Piper lowered herself, probing her pussy's entrance, sticky with juices. Clearly satisfied with the dripping results, her tongue slipped once more inside of Annabeth. One hand occupied her clit. The other massaged the back of her thigh.

Piper clearly enjoyed her work, moaning from the taste of the juices secreted from Annabeth's pussy. Her hips swayed back and forth, teasing me to come forward and mount her from behind as she worked my girlfriend's tight cunt. Every so often, she'd pull her hand away from Annabeth's thigh to massage herself through her damp panties.

"Please," Annabeth muttered. "I'm almost… almost… ungh!"

Never one to relent, Piper continued feasting. Her tongue curled and flicked as her fingers pinched Annabeth's clit. Her satisfied moans served to push Annabeth closer to the edge, the vibrations making her toes curl and drive her hands into the fleece blankets, balling them in her fists. When Annabeth's words failed her, replaced by nothing but drawn out moans, Piper doubled her efforts, burying her fingers inside of the tight pussy and massaging her insides.

Annabeth chewed on her lips as she heaved, whimpering and moaning as she drew closer and closer to the edge. Eyes lidded and face flushed, she said nothing to distract Piper from her work. The rising and falling of her chest and the desperation on her face caused my erection to ache inside of my shorts. Despite every hormone begging me to rush forward and fuck them both, I restrained myself, only to see the end result of Piper's work.

"Hah hah hah! Huh?"

In a mere second, Piper stopped.

"_No! Please!_"

Piper licked her lips and returned the pleading expression with one of smug satisfaction.

"Were you almost done?"

She bobbed her head. "Just a little more! Please!"

Instead of continuing, Piper backed away and crawled off the bed, much to Annabeth's frustration. She approached me with eyes gleaming. "Don't you think your boyfriend should be the one to _really_ finish you off?"

Flustered, but still very desperate for release, Annabeth turned her attention to me. Legs spread wide open, she invited me forward with her desperate eyes. She even went as far as to use her fingers to spread open her dripping pussy lips, presenting me with a lovely view of her pink interior.

Piper sauntered up to me and nibbled my ear. "I have her all warmed up for you. Show her how much you _really_ love her." She pulled away with a devious glint in her eyes.

As I moved forward, she pressed herself against me and rubbed my covered erection.

"And when you're finished, I'm going to milk every ounce of cum from these heavy balls and swallow every drop."

"I heard that," Annabeth called, her breaths labored. "You better share with me. Or else…"

Piper pouted, but said nothing in return. Rather, she turned to me with a wink and squeezed my aching bulge once more. "Show her what that tongue can do." She pressed her lips to mine and slipped her tongue between them with no resistance on my part. The taste of Annabeth's juices still coating her mouth further fueled my desire to finish her off.

Without another word, I surged forward and crawled to Annabeth. The face she gave me, tears in her eyes, a grateful smile on her panting lips, warmed my heart just as much as my loins.

My head dove between her legs, my tongue slid inside of her.

"_Yes!_ Oh, Percy! Yes! Please!"

Her legs resumed shaking, but unlike with Piper, she didn't hesitate to wrap them around my head, not that I minded. She threaded her fingers through my hair and tugged as I licked and teased over her most sensitive spots.

Two fingers replaced my tongue and stroked along her insides, reducing her to a panting wreck. My tongue switched to her clit and circled the sensitive nub. Her grip on my hair tightened as I pushed her closer and closer until…

"By the gods, _yes!_"

Her pussy contracted and spasmed, along with the rest of her body. Rapid convulsions tore through her body as she let out a wondrous scream of ecstasy. Unable to control herself, she tightened her legs around my head in a deathgrip of spasming muscle. Her toes curled. Her hands tightened their grip. Her ecstatic cries rang out. Hips bucking uncontrollably into my face, she rode out her orgasm to the fullest extent, only settling down when exhaustion began to consume her.

When she finally released me from her legs, she trapped my head once more with her hands, and pulled me forward into a passionate kiss. With drool on her lips and her jaw still twitching, the kiss was messy to be sure, but all the more delightful because of it. For those few seconds, nothing else mattered. Not the cool air. Not the gods. Not the undoubtedly eavesdropping wait staff. Only we mattered. Only our lips. Only our breath.

She pulled away, if only to throw her head back into the pillows. Raw love shimmered in her eyes as she weakly pawed at my shoulder.

"_Ungh!_"

Our attention turned to Piper, who had stripped herself of her lingerie and seemed to have just fingered herself to a nice orgasm of her own. Her fingers were still rubbing over her clit as she eye fucked the both of us.

"I don't know about you," she said, "but I think we've teased Percy with this show long enough." She leaned forward and stood from the couch. "Plus—" she strode forward, her thighs moist with juices, though not to the extent of Annabeth's "— I could really go for a nice big, hot load of creamy cum right now." She licked her lips as she crawled onto the bed, joining the both of us.

Annabeth let out a weak huff of laughter and licked her own lips. "I can show you every one of his soft spots. All of the best techniques to draw him out and make him lose control. You'll be drowning in all the cum you can ask for."

Piper paused and stared at her with wild curiosity and infatuation. "What's the catch?"

She smirked. "Isn't it obvious? You have to share with me. Not just his cock, but his cum too."

A chill went down my spine. "Are you sure that's such a good—"

"Deal."

Before I could comprehend their words, they were already moving. Having apparently caught her second wind, Annabeth rolled us over so that my back was on the bed.

"I don't think you need this."

Both of them yanked my shirt off. I didn't even bother resisting.

"Mmm, that's a good view," Piper said. "But that's for our enjoyment. "This—" she hooked her fingers around the hem of my shorts "—is for yours."

Not five seconds later, my shorts were tossed from the bed, leaving all three of us stark naked and burning with both desire and anticipation.

My erection stood proud, eager to be blessed by the bodies of the two lovely women before it. If only I had the confidence that it did. Their hungry gazes were as unnerving as they were alluring. There they sat, two of the most dangerous demigoddesses in the world, and they were staring at my cock with ravenous hunger.

"Well," Piper said, running her hands up my leg, "let's see some of this magic."

Annabeth smiled. "As you wish."

With a tentative hand, she ran her fingers over the delicate skin of my penis. I hitched in breath, my subconscious recalling the last time her hands did this very thing. And yet, despite my reservations, her touch was gentle, loving, unlike the night I wish I could oust from my memory.

"He has a few soft spots," she said, brushing over the top. She glanced towards Piper. "Some are obvious, but one of them is hidden away."

Piper tucked her legs beneath her, shifting with excitement as she licked her lips.

"First off," Annabeth said, "the glans." Her thumb brushed over the swollen head. "It has more nerve endings than almost any other part of the penis."

Smirking, Piper seemed to want to roll her eyes, as if it were obvious.

"Next, we have the frenulum."

Both Piper and I frowned.

_The free _what_?_

Annabeth lifted up my erection, presenting them both with the underside. "This little spot where the glans connects with the shaft; that's _the most_ sensitive part of the penis."

Her thumb pressed into that very spot, igniting a very familiar flare that Calypso and Zoë had when giving me a blowjob. My hips bucked, eliciting a giggle from Piper.

"This spot alone could make him cum with no issues," Annabeth said matter-of-factly. "But, I think you're more interested in how to _really_ coax him into an orgasm."

Despite evidently taking mental notes, the moment those words left Annabeth's mouth, Piper's attention cleared and locked onto her hands.

"There are three spots you want to focus on when trying to really work him. The most obvious is the testicles." She cupped them and rolled them between her fingers. "I don't think I need to give you any advice about what you can do with them."

Piper smirked, clearly agreeing with that statement.

"A much less obvious spot," Annabeth continued, "is below the navel." She massaged her fingers into my pelvis. "It's a perfect spot to tease him. While there aren't as many nerves here as everywhere else, the excitement and stimulation should be more than enough to not only get him hard and keep it that way, but if you rub here while he's orgasming, it makes the sensation deeper and can often send the feeling up to his stomach."

I shivered. The idea that she knew how to induce an orgasm of that magnitude in me terrified me to no end.

_Just how often did we have sex before Hera kidnapped me?_

"And now, my favorite spot."

_Uh, oh._

Her hand shifted down, brushing her nails over my delicate skin.

"If you _really_ want to milk him for all he's worth, you want to stimulate his perineum."

Piper and I shared a frown, both confused by the word she just said.

"His what?"

"Perineum," she repeated. "Or p-spot for short."

Her hand continued its downward trek, reaching beneath my engorged erection.

"The area between his testicles and anus is a good way to stimulate his prostate."

Piper snickered. "You mean the part where doctors have to stick their finger up his butt to check?"

"Exactly. That's where most of the semen is made. But, if you stimulate it directly, it can be overwhelming and uncomfortable for the guy. Like this—" she pressed her fingers into my scrotum, further back than any other girl dared to touch, and stroked her tips where the base of my shaft connected with the rest of my body "—you can stimulate it indirectly and work him into a very deep and long orgasm. I only do it when I'm feeling really generous; otherwise he'll get spoiled."

Whether or not Piper was paying attention to the latter part of Annabeth's statement, I couldn't tell. All I know is that the moment Annabeth said "milk him," her eyes brightened like traffic lights.

"Wouldn't a tongue feel better than fingers?"

Annabeth paused. "Yeah, most likely. But I normally do it while blowing him, so reaching there with my tongue is out of the question."

Piper smirked. "I can take care of that. No problem."

Paling, Annabeth faltered. "But… you'd have to deepthroat him _and _reach there with your tongue. That's not feasible."

Her eyes narrowed. "Challenge accepted."

As she attempted to dive in, Annabeth restrained her by the shoulder, which resulted in a frustrated whine. Which of us did it, I don't recall.

"This is about getting him off," Annabeth said, "right?"

Piper nodded, her eyes still locked on my dick.

"Then you need to slow down. Lube him up. Tease him. Build up to it."

She clenched her fists for a few seconds. When she relaxed them, her posture relaxed with them. She leaned forward, replacing Annabeth's hand with her own. Soft fingers massaged the base as she locked her eyes with mine.

"Je vais te faire jouir," she whispered before surging forward and pressing her lips to my ear, "et avale tout."

A moment later, she came face to face with my swollen head. She gave the shaft a tentative stroke as Annabeth settled herself to the opposite side of her, resting her head on my hip. Satisfied with my initial groan, Piper lowered herself to the base of my penis and pressed her nimble tongue to my sensitive skin. Up, up, up she went, dragging her tongue along the underside of my shaft, her eyes ensnaring mine in their mesmerizing gaze. She flicked her tongue over the tip, cleaning it of the dribbling precum, and opened her jaw wider to descend upon the throbbing cock.

"Wait."

Annabeth lurched forward, clamping her hands on either side of Piper's face as she leveled them both eye-to-eye.

Piper groaned. "If you want to kiss me, can't you wait fo—"

"Since when did you have pink eyes?"

Startled, neither Piper or I could bring out a reply. Annabeth held her grip, humming to herself. Even with her back to me, I could still imagine her putting on her thinking face. Furrowing her brow. Chewing her lip. I may not have seen it, but I knew it all too well.

"What… what are you talking about?" Piper asked.

"Your eyes switch between blue, brown, and green. Right now, they're pink."

"It isn't the first time," I said, trying to move things along. "I'm pretty sure it just happens when she's having sex."

Annabeth turned to me with a frown. "Then she would have been that way when she went down on me. If it were really…" She trailed off, her gaze falling to my dick. "I wonder…"

Releasing Piper's face, she took over where Piper was and took hold of my cock once more. She stroked it a few times, giving it the occasional squeeze. As I hummed to myself in pleasure, she studied my cock until a bead of precum peeked from the head. After taking a breath, she dipped her tongue into the droplet and massaged the tip of my cock until no more precum could be found.

Piper whined. "That was mine."

Annabeth retracted her tongue and sat back. With her eyes closed, she swished the miniscule amount around her mouth. Piper attempted to reach forward to continue, but Annabeth latched her hand on her wrist before she could make it half way. She opened her eyes.

"Your semen is laced with an aphrodisiac. A strong one at that."

Despite my urge to scream "I don't care!" and facefuck either one of them, I decided that it may be in my best interest to pay attention.

"You mean like a drug?"

"Exactly." She turned to Piper. "Looks like your mom didn't tell us all there was to know about her blessing."

She frowned. "Sounds like something she would pull. Still though, is it really that bad? With or without her blessing, I'd still want to do this."

Annabeth crossed her arms. "What about the others? Katie, Zoë, Calypso… Okay, maybe not Calypso. But most of them wouldn't be so enthusiastic to sleep with him if not for his semen literally drugging them." She turned to me. "You know it's true. Didn't Zoë suck you off after the boar attack?"

Piper snickered. "She really enjoyed it too."

"Exactly," Annabeth snapped. "If not for—"

"But she wanted to give it a try even before that," Piper continued. "Percy apparently showed her a good time with his tongue while they were on a little trip."

My cheeks flared, but I felt an odd sense of satisfaction from hearing those words.

"I don't know about you," Piper said, "but I'm sick of living in fear of my mother's games. If she wants to keep up with her little tricks, I won't stop her. But for now, I'm going to enjoy having sex with my best friends."

Both Annabeth and I stared back, unable to form any words in reply. By the time I could muster a sound, Piper had already returned to lying at my side and took my dick into her mouth without another word.

Before I could begin a thought of stopping her, she sucked it deep and quickly pulled back. The immense pressure on my groin forced a stiff groan from my throat as pleasure quickly overwhelmed me. My hips bucked everytime she bobbed her head, matching her rhythm as her tongue massaged the underside. With every pull back, she hollowed her cheeks with a vacuum like seal and wriggled her tongue over every spot Annabeth pointed out to her.

Annabeth, though initially reluctant, returned to her spot opposite of Piper, and cupped her hand around my balls, massaging them, coaxing my cum from them. Her watchful gaze locked onto Piper, who returned it with one glazed with passion. Turning to face me, she moved her remaining hand over my pelvis and massaged the area below my navel.

My response was instantaneous. If not for me already lying down, I would have collapsed under their combined efforts. The pleasure from Piper sucking my dick reached deep within my stomach, perpetuated by the massage matching the speed of her bobbing head.

Drool spilled from her mouth. Every bob pushed my dick further and further to the back of her mouth. With every buck of my hips, my cockhead fell just short of her throat. Her lustful gaze told me that wouldn't be the case for much longer.

I gasped. "I don't… think I can…" Overwhelmed, I failed to muster the strength to say anymore.

Piper hummed along my dick, closing her eyes as she finally slipped the head down her throat. Holding herself there for a few seconds longer, once her eyes opened again, she pushed forward, sliding more and more down her throat until she reached the base of my dick.

Annabeth pulled away her hand and leaned down. The gagging from Piper both forced my legs to spasm and told me what she was planning next. Her tongue slipped from her mouth and lathered my balls with its warmth. Within her throat, my cock pulsed and throbbed as precum streamed out, coating her insides with the lubricating substance.

"No way," Annabeth said. "There's no way she can actually do it."

She did it.

Caught somewhere between a pained laugh and a lustful groan, I couldn't restrain my voice as Piper massaged her tongue along my perineum. She coaxed it through my scrotum and massaged my balls to either side as she ran it over my apparent weak spot. My fingers gripped the blankets. My legs trembled. On and on she went, suffocating herself on my cock and massaging me with her tongue, until she couldn't hold herself any longer.

Coughing and spluttering, she pulled away in an effort to regain her breath. As she heaved, Annabeth stared at my glistening cock, awestruck by the performance she just witnessed.

With her hands on her knees and drool on her chin, Piper glanced over to Annabeth with a competitive smirk.

"Your turn."

She paled. "I can't go that fa—"

Piper silenced her with a messy kiss. Her fingers toyed with her golden curls. She received no resistance when she slipped her tongue between their lips. Only when she pulled away did Annabeth seem to recollect her bearings.

"You take what you can," Piper said. "I'll take his balls."

Annabeth shot a glance between my legs and remained silent for a few seconds. After coming to a silent agreement, she nodded her head and moved into position. Piper did the same. As Annabeth grasped the base of my cock, she slid the first few inches into her mouth. Her tongue swirled over the head and teased the frenulum. Not long after, Piper followed and sucked my balls into her mouth.

"Gods, you two…"

She worked quickly, not bothering to tease me after the drawn out performances and mouthwork of Piper. As Piper hummed to herself, switching from one testicle to the other, Annabeth moved her hands away and let her mouth do all of the work. An occasional glance was shot in my direction from either of them, but for the most part, they remained focused on the task at hand. Annabeth bobbed, Piper sucked. The pace of my girlfriend's blowjob quickened. Her curls bounced with every motion.

Spit and drool spilled from her mouth. Not to the extent that Piper's had, but more than enough to result in an unexpected, though not unwelcome, outcome.

"Hmm?"

Startled by her own work, Annabeth attempted to pull away as she swallowed down my dick. Her convulsing throat massaged my cock. Copious amounts of precum poured directly into her waiting stomach. Eyes twitching, she whined as she unwillingly slipped more and more of my cock down her throat, not unlike Zoë's attempts from before.

"I… I'm about to—"

"Oh, no you don't."

Piper grabbed Annabeth by the head and yanked her off of my cock, leaving it waving in the open air. While Annabeth coughed and drooled into the bed, Piper rubbed her back and whispered words of praise into her ear. Her gaze shifted over to me, who returned it with one of pained frustration.

"Unless you're ready to go multiple rounds with us, you're not allowed to cum until you fuck us."

I forced a swallow. Though I understood her position, I couldn't deny how badly I needed to cum.

She crawled forward and trailed a few kisses up my chest. "Annabeth goes first. Then I'll finish you off, okay?"

I nodded.

She smiled. "Bon garçon."

As she kneeled to my side, Annabeth took her place and crawled up to me. When I expected her to push me down and give me a kiss, she turned around and straddled my hips. Leaning forward, she grabbed my dick and guided it between her tanned pussy lips.

"Oh my gods," she said through her teeth.

She slowly slid her tight pussy down my shaft. Inch by inch she went as she gasped and moaned. Her slick walls gripped me and massaged me with their ridges. The further down she went, the tighter they seemed to squeeze.

"Let me help you two out," Piper said.

Grabbing her by the shoulder, she pulled Annabeth back until she could no longer balance herself. Rather, she braced herself with both hands behind her pressing into the bed. Once she was comfortably seated on my cock, Piper knelt at her side and pulled her into a kiss. Her fingers ran down Annabeth's stomach until they reached her clit, at which point she began rubbing the small nub until she started trembling.

"Now ride him like your life depends on it."

And so she did. Her tanned ass moved up and down, jiggling slightly with every bounce. Her arms strained under her efforts, mirroring the flexing of her back. As she bounced her hips, she kept her lips locked with Piper, who continued rubbing her clit to perpetuate the cycle of pleasure running through Annabeth's loins.

"Gods, Annabeth," I groaned. "I don't know how long I'll be able to last."

As Annabeth moaned her agreement, Piper directed a not so subtle death glare at me. "You better not cum yet. Not until I get my turn."

My face reddened under the strain. "I'll try."

Annabeth's bouncing didn't help matters. Her walls squeezed down on my cock as she attempted to rebalance herself. She nearly collapsed as my cock rubbed some particularly sensitive spots inside of her. Unable to handle the onslaught of my cock and Piper's fingers, she pushed herself forward, and braced her hands on the bed beneath her. She fell from her feet and dropped to her knees, kneeling with my cock inside of her. Her legs tightened their grip to either side of my hips, mirroring the actions of her pussy around my cock.

Unhappy with her loss of a kissing partner, Piper took advantage of her new position and massaged her hands into Annabeth's jiggling ass cheeks.

"Ooh, these are nice," she said, kneading the fleshy cheeks.

Moaning without reservation, Annabeth sped up the pace of her bouncing. Her convulsing pussy slammed down onto my dick without any sign of stopping. Juices spilled from inside her, coating my pelvis in a sticky sheen.

"Oh my gods!" she cried out.

Despite her trembling, she kept up her pace. She squeezed her knees into my flanks. Her quivering pussy tightened every time she bottomed out and loosened every time she pulled away. She turned back to me with her mouth hanging open.

"Ahn," she cried out. "Gods… Percy!"

As our eyes met, she grew even tighter around me. Still, she seemed to quicken her pace. She panted and moaned with every bounce of her hips, and her pussy continued to squeeze my dick as she did.

Piper kept up her rubbing, squeezing Annabeth's bouncing ass cheeks as they jiggled in her hands. Her hands were soon shining with the juices that ran down my cock and over my hips. The same could be said for the sweat streaming down Annabeth's body as she continued exerting herself.

Annabeth's eyes rolled up as a drunken grin stretched across her lips. "_So… good!_"

I feared the ever growing need to finish. At that point, only sheer willpower held my climax at bay. The lewd stupor on her face didn't help matters. If not for Piper staring me down as she massaged Annabeth's bouncing cheeks, I don't think I could have held back.

Annabeth finally started to slow her pace. Her pelvis slammed down on my throbbing dick. Every time she bottomed out, a throaty groan left her mouth. Her back flexed as she slowed further. The grip of her pussy walls tightened even further.

"I'm… I'm about to…" Drool ran down her cheek as she attempted to voice her thoughts. Still, she seemed relentless in her efforts to bounce on my cock, slow and powerful as they were.

"That's right, Annabeth," Piper said. "Cum. Cum all over his dick." She didn't even bother putting in any charmspeak.

Annabeth clamped down on me. She threw her head back, sending her hair flying everywhere.

"Oh, _gods_!"

She finally let loose and came. Her pussy walls rippled around my cock as juices streamed from inside of her. Slowing her pace, she rode out her orgasm, gently sliding her pussy up and down my cock as it continued to convulse around it, spewing her juice in small spurts every time she bottomed out. Quivering and trembling, she collapsed forward as she juices finally seemed to finish spilling from her pussy. A sigh of relief was all I could hear as she settled down.

"Good girl," Piper said, releasing her sweat covered cheeks.

Annabeth remained there for a few moments longer, moments that I strained not to cum during. She managed to pull herself off of my dick, but couldn't reach much further before her arms and legs buckled beneath her.

"Poor thing," Piper said. "She really outdid herself." Her attention turned to my twitching cock. "Hmm… you really aren't going to last much longer, are you?"

I bit my lips under the strain, but managed to shake my head.

She frowned. "I really wanted to keep this up all night, but I guess teasing you with that show really put you on edge."

For a few agonizing seconds, she stayed silent, pondering to herself. When she seemed to come to an agreement with herself, she crawled forward and placed her hands on my shoulders. "I want to test something, but you'll need to cum first, alright?"

I bobbed my head without hesitation, groaning from the strain.

She gave me a gentle smile and rolled us over. With her back against the bed and my shivering body above her, she rubbed my cheek and pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "Give it everything you've got. Don't hold back."

She didn't need to tell me twice.

I glanced back to Annabeth, who was still mewling in satisfaction. She had rolled onto her back and started rubbing herself while watching us. A devious shine in her eyes made it clear that she wanted to see just how much I was going to ruin her best friend.

Despite my trembling, I managed to position myself above Piper's dripping entrance. Of course, she needed to guide me a bit, given how my body seemed to try and buck against the air before I could position myself correctly. Giggling, she grasped my cock and guided it towards her pussy. The head pressed against her plump lips, at which point she released her grip and returned her hand to my shoulder. Eyes shining pink with lust and love, she pressed a simple kiss to my lips. No further instruction was needed. My hips sank downward, sheathing my cock deep inside of her hot pussy.

Of all of the girls I've been with, I can safely say that Piper is undoubtedly the warmest on the inside. Not to say she's slacking in any other department, but the lovely heat inside of her practically made the cum in my balls boil.

"_Oui!_"

She wasted no time locking me in place. Her legs clamped around my hips as her arms did the same with my back. Staring me without any hesitation, she drove a fiery kiss against my lips. As she did, her hips rolled forward, giving me more than enough of a hint to get things moving.

Taking her cue, I pulled my hips back and slowly sunk my cock inside of her once more. A mutual groan of relief left both of our lips as she continued deepening her kiss. Once more, I repeated the action, sliding out and in as agonizingly slow as possibly, striving to hold back my own desire to fill her to the brim with my cum. Only when she dragged her nails across my back did I decide to pick up the pace.

Within the first few thrusts, my thighs were coated in her slick juices. She returned my pounding with her own motions, rolling her hips into every thrust. Her hot walls clamped around me every time I entered her, rippled for a moment, and attempted to suck me back in as I pulled out.

As I continued to plow into her tight pussy, she struggled to maintain her kissing. More than once, she nearly bit off her tongue as she attempted to shove it down my throat. When she finally couldn't keep up the pace, she pulled away and let out a melodic scream.

"Comme ça!"

Annabeth apparently wanted a better vantage point. She crawled over to join us and took a closer look as my cock sunk into Piper's juicy pussy.

"Mmm, as good as that looks, I think I'll keep her voice down for now."

The moment those words reached Piper's ears, she tightened her grip on my body and pressed her head into the crook of my neck. Her hot pants and sultry moans continued going unchecked as Annabeth attempted to pry her arms from my back. All she managed to accomplish was Piper digging her nails into my skin and clamping her pussy walls tighter around my throbbing cock.

Annabeth growled in frustration as she continued failing in her endeavor. "Okay. If that's how you're going to be…"

She disappeared from my view. Piper peeked her head over my shoulder, bobbing her head in response to my thrusts. A stifled gasp is all she could manage as she attempted to choke out her words. "Wait!"

As I continued pounding her pussy into oblivion, I could feel Annabeth snake her hand between our colliding bodies. Her fingers massaged around Piper's pelvis before taking a turn south and pinching her clit.

"Merde!"

Piper let loose a beautiful scream as Annabeth rolled her clit between her fingers. Under our combined onslaught, her body trembled and quaked. The juices spilling from her cunt soaked her blankets as they streamed down her ass. She couldn't keep up with rolling her hips against mine, though she did tighten her grip on my back as she moaned and screamed.

"Je suis presque…"

Her pussy lips locked tightly around my cock as her insides kept sucking me in. Harder and harder, I continued pounding into her as her body shook and trembled beneath me. Annabeth continued toying with her clit, which only made her pussy clamp even tighter around me. I struggled to keep my churning balls from spilling inside of her, but I couldn't hold it in for much longer.

"Ahn! Ahn! Ahn!"

Sweat streamed down her beautiful face. Her lips remained parted as she struggled to breathe. Slender nails dug into my back.

Loud slaps signalled my quickened change of pace. Every collision of our hips resulted in a sinful symphony of flesh on flesh, and her voice provided the choir. I couldn't help but join her in groaning and panting as I reached my limit. Her tightening pussy didn't help matters as I continued thrusting with my hastened pace.

Jaw dropped and eyes staring blankly at me, she let her groans out unimpeded as I kept pounding into her. Every time my cock slipped inside, her rippling walls attempted to suck the seed straight out of it. No longer did her legs hold me in place. Rather, they trembled in the air with every slam I made against her hips.

Sweat dripped down my body and splashed against hers. Using the last of my strength, I sped up once more. My hips hammered against hers as she let loose an endless stream of unintelligible phrases. Her parted lips morphed into a drunken grin as her pussy constricted around me.

Annabeth's efforts didn't go in vain. If anything, her continued assault on Piper's clit hastened our mutual impending climax.

Waves upon waves of euphoria slammed against me. My limit was near its edge, and Piper's lust drunk expression said the very same. Her head bobbed with every thrust. Her moans mirrored every bob. No longer could she speak. Only an endless stream of drunken moans is all she could manage.

Those moans heralded a beautiful finish as her breath hitched for only a moment, only to be shattered by an angelically deafening scream. Lost in pure pleasure, her pussy clamped down as a torrent of juices spilled from her pussy. Her legs shivered against the cool Pacific air as she locked her arms around my back in loving deathgrip.

I couldn't hold it any longer. Locked deep inside of her loving quim, I released an equally large load of cum. My body mirrored her trembling as I grinded my hips to a halt, pumping her with rope after rope of my load. A sigh of relief left my lips as I collapsed on top of her, shivering and sweating in the crisp air. My cock slipped out of her as I fell to her side. Semen bubbled and spilled out of her as she quivered in place.

"Uhnn…" she groaned. Her eyes were glazed over and her mouth was stuck in a lucid smile.

Annabeth crawled over the both of us with an amused smirk. "Looks like you both outdid yourselves."

I attempted to retort, but all I could manage was a few more gasps of air and a mildly irritated glance. As I heaved, Annabeth returned between Piper's legs and gazed at the aftermath.

"Wow. You wrecked her."

She scooped her finger through her pussy and brought a glob of cum to her lips. After giving it a small sniff, she stuck it into her mouth and swished it around.

"Hmm. If only I managed to get a hold of this before you started sleeping with everyone. It doesn't taste like it used to. Not better or worse, but definitely different."

Piper let out an exhausted whine and attempted to close her quivering legs, but failed miserably. "Mine…"

Annabeth looked up and smiled with narrowed eyes. "I thought you said you had more plans for him. What happened?"

She attempted to sit up, but once more failed to do so. Instead, she grabbed my arm and hugged her body against it as she continued shivering. "He did."

Annabeth chuckled, but her smile turned more friendly. "I know what you mean. Anyways, while you're recovering, I'm going to clean off this lovely cock."

Without another word, she did exactly as she said and attacked my now flaccid cock with her tongue. I groaned from the overstimulation, but couldn't muster the strength to pull away. While I won't say I didn't enjoy how gentle she was, my cock still throbbed from its recent use.

After a few seconds, Piper pulled me in for a kiss. Once more, it was a gentle kiss. Once more, it took my breath away.

"Tu es à moi."

I smiled. "That French is really sexy."

She returned my smile with one of her own, albeit a much sleepier one. "What can I say? You light up my lips with the language of love when your lips are loving me."

Annabeth flicked her tongue over the tip of my penis, making me groan out. Both of us turned to her as she finished licking up the last of our combined fluids.

"Now that we're all cleaned up on this side," she glanced towards Piper, "how would you like that dessert."

Piper bit her lips as Annabeth settled herself between her legs once more. She let out a throaty moan as Annabeth dove her finger inside of the cum filled pussy and scooped out as much of the gooey substance as she could.

"Gods, Percy! You've pumped her with at least half an ounce of cum!"

"Mmm. That's half an ounce of hot, creamy goodness that I get to enjoy."

Though the measurement didn't seem too big to me, I was a little too exhausted to care one way or another. All I could do was watch in a haze as Annabeth brought two handfuls of cum up to Piper's lips. A loud series of slurping is all I could hear as Piper attacked her cupped hands. In a matter of seconds, she swallowed every trace of cum that Annabeth brought to her. She even went as far as sucking the final drops from her fingers as Annabeth attempted to stifle her laughter.

"You've really turned into quite the cumslut, haven't you?"

Piper swallowed the final droplets and licked her lips. "Only for him."

Following her words, she wrapped her arms around mine once more and cuddled against my side. Moments later, she was snoring into my shoulder. Smiling, Annabeth followed her lead and crawled to my opposite flank.

"This was definitely worth the trip here."

Without another word, she placed one hand on my stomach and pressed a few kisses into my shoulder before falling asleep. Not too long after did I follow them. Morpheus trapped me in his clutches and sent me once more into a not so dreamless sleep.

* * *

**A/N - No, I'm not dead. No, I haven't contracted Corona (though I did spend a while debilitated with mono). If you want to know what took so long, well... you just read it. This chapter was a monster of an undertaking. This is nearly three times the length of a normal chapter. That alone should speak volumes.**

**"Why did you make this chapter so long?" Thanks for asking. There are two major reasons. Reason number one: We _finally_ got the threesome we have been waiting for. I wanted to make sure it was well worth the wait. Reason number two: We have officially surpassed one thousand followers! That's right, we are now in the quadruple digits! Hooray!**

**On that note, a round of applause to you all for sticking with this story for so long. In a little less than a month, we will have reached our one year anniversary together! _Squeals with joy._ Seriously, my thanks go out to each and every one of you.**

**In the same strain (because it is obligatory at this point), I have to once again extend an invitation to my Discord server. We recently implemented a brand new role playing channel that all of our members are free to join. If you have your own characters or stories that you want to tell, but don't have much time (or motivation) to tell it, you can take care of that right in our role playing channel so that everyone can see the story you have to tell (or how much of a pervert you are).**

**Also, I'm soon going to be putting out a vote on the Discord that will determine the next story I write. Yes, that is technically _way_ down the line from now, but I'd rather get votes in early so that way I can get more than a dozen votes. As I write this, there are nearly eighty members on my server. No question, this is a very solid amount, but I'm always happy to accept more. If you want to have a say in what the next story is, the best way to make your statement is on the Discord.**

**Back to the story. What were your thoughts? This was a very Piper centric chapter, so I hope I did her justice. Not to mention that there are revelations made even while having sex between them. Leave it to Annabeth to notice something is off while Percy is getting laid. **

**Onto the questions. As our own way of celebrating our one thousand follower special, I thought this would be a good time to look back and reflect on the story so far. And so, I give to you not one, not two, but _three_ questions! What chapter has been your favorite to read? What smut scene has been your favorite? And why? Lastly, per Ignis's request, can you identify the roughly one hundred thirty words of smut that Ignis included. He's not a fan of smut (weird position to be in, I know), so he wants to see if our styles differ that much.**

**I was recently posed the very same question, and so I tell you the same answer. My favorite chapter was Percy's arrival to the Triple G Ranch. There's so much that happens in it and the general vibe is so true to actual PJO that I honestly felt proud when it was finished. For the favorite smut... Well, that would be the night Percy spent with Calypso. To this day, I have only ever completed one smut scene in a single writing session, and it was that one. That nostalgia value has won me over without question.**

**So, what were your favorites? Let me know in the reviews (or pop over to the Discord and leave it in the discussions *wink, wink*).**

**I think it's about time I brought this chapter to a close. No doubt your brains hurt after reading this mammoth of a chapter. Trust me, it hurt to write. Please, everyone, stay safe out there! Corona shall not defeat us. Stay inside. It's not like you don't have any... material to keep you "occupied." Hehe. In any case, let's hear what you all have to say! Fap if you must. Wash your hands. Fap again (the chapter is more than long enough for multiple fap sessions). This is Ronin signing off.**


	47. Twists and Turns

Twists and Turns

What is it with demigod dreams? Seriously, I'll never understand why I can't ever enjoy a dreamless sleep without divine intervention. By the way, I'm still waiting for that dream where I can prance around a world made of blue pancakes and my mom's cookies. Maybe the mountains could actually be giant coke bottles, frothing at the brim with blue soda. Mmm. If only…

On the note of divine intervention, it seems like I could blame just about all aspects of my life on that, especially when I brought myself into a fuzzy consciousness, only to realize I was most definitely _not_ lying in bed with Piper and Annabeth to either side of me.

Some type of conservatory or indoor garden seemed to be my dream's destination of choice. Across the ceiling stretched a dome of stained glass panels. Their frosted texture filtered most of the light in shades of red and purple. A ring of statues, each depicting a meticulously sculpted figure of harrowing beauty, surrounded a central fountain. The spout of water showered what appeared to be statues of two lovers in the throes of passion, lost in the embrace of their partner's loins. Rose bushes, perennials, and countless other flowers I could never identify decorated the interior garden. Upon a bench of polished white marble, I sat, noting the gold veins etched within the glossy surface. A column to my left reached for the ceiling, holding up nothing but the air above it. To my right, another column mirrored it, but was broken down to its midsection.

"Seems like _someone_ had a fun night," a sultry voice called from across the fountain.

Compelled by some unknown force, I stood up and strolled around the fountain, trying to ignore the fine details of how much the loving statues seemed to enjoy one another. Anything I could turn my attention towards, I took advantage of. _Anything._ The glossy stones paved into a walkway. The loamy soil feeding the flowers. The stained glass ceiling that depicted a fractaled orgy in progress… Okay, maybe the last one wasn't a good idea.

"Enjoying the view?"

_Don't look! Don't look! Don't look! Dammit!_

My breath caught as I gazed upon the figure sitting on the marble bench. Adorned in a claret silk robe, her long legs crossed, mirroring her arms, was none other than Aphrodite. A slight pout was affixed to her full lips. She eyed me with a mix of hunger and contempt, as if I were a satisfying one night stand who couldn't go for a second round.

Nowhere I looked was safe. Every inch of her body, from her perfectly pedicured toes to her ever shifting hair, left my mouth watering and my arousal growing ever more ravenous.

With a single finger, she beckoned me forward. Despite every cell in my brain screaming "No!" my body refused to listen and obeyed her silent command. Only when I stood close enough to smell her fragrant perfume did I manage to halt myself. Much like her appearance, it seemed to shift from one scent to another, adjusting its aroma to my liking. One moment, it smelled of pomegranate and roses. The next, it smelled of caramel and fudge.

"Hmm." She twirled her finger through her currently golden hair. "You look tense. Why don't you take a seat?" She gestured to the open space next to her.

Muscles tensing, I strained to maintain my composure and avoid moving forward.

_Don't trust her! Don't trust her! Don't trust her!_

Like a mantra, I repeated those words over and over in my head. Eventually, I managed to focus on them rather than the single gesture. She pouted, which made me almost immediately regret my choice to stay standing.

_No. Please don't do that._

"I'm not going to bite, Percy… Well, unless you ask me nicely." She giggled to herself, a sound like doves fluttering in the wind.

_Focus!_

"Aphrodite," I said, not bothering to grant her any formalities. "Why am I here?"

Her pout returned. "To clear the air. I think you've reached some rather unsavory conclusions about me these past few days."

That answer was more than enough to help me clear my head. Shaking off whatever sway she had at the moment, I turned my gaze to the garden.

"Are you saying that you have nothing to do with the events from the past week?"

"I'm saying nothing of the sort. What I _am_ saying is that you don't have the full picture."

Much to my regret, I returned my eyes to her. Those ever shifting eyes shimmered into a pearlescent purple and orange, as if a sunset were staring into my soul.

"And what would that picture be?"

I think that's what I said, though it may have come out like "Uhhhhh…"

She clicked her tongue. "Always business first. Never pleasure." She uncrossed her legs and recrossed them, not so subtly pulling my attention to her supple calves and the slightest peek of her lower thighs. "You need to learn to indulge a little bit."

_I can think of a few things I want to indulge in._

I pinched myself.

"If you're not going to give me an answer, can you at least send me off? I have things to do."

"Like joining my daughter in the throes of passion?"

My cheeks heated up, but I stood my ground. "You're the one who forced her into the harem."

Her eyebrow raised. "Is that all? Oh dear, you know so little."

As she let out a small round of breath taking laughter, I felt the heat in my cheeks traveling to my fists. "What did you do?"

"Many things," she replied without hesitating. "But I intended for so much more, and then that little peacock of a queen had to overplay her hand."

"So Hera _is_ the one who's causing all of the problems?"

"Well, not _all_ of them, though your night with Annabeth was certainly not a result of my work. It was rather unfortunate." She giggled to herself.

"_Unfortunate_!?" I took a step forward. "She… she… I've never been..."

She placed her fingers over her mouth. "Oh dear, did I say that out loud? Oops." When her hand pulled away, her smile turned coy. "So you want the truth? The full truth?"

My brow furrowed. "Just like that? You're really going to just admit everything you've done? What's your game?"

"Right now? It's simple. By being honest with you, I run little risk in losing what I want."

"And what would that be?"

She licked her lips. "You."

Even if time weren't so difficult to tell in dreams, I couldn't be sure how long I went before I could speak.

_She wants _me_!?_

In that moment, I attempted to pry my eyes away from her robe and how it clung to her hourglass figure. From the subtle cleavage at the top to the discreet manner she tugged away the robe from her legs, every inch of her picture perfect body seemed all the more alluring the moment she said that word.

"An.. and… and how did you plan on getting me? I'm not leaving Annabeth."

"If not for Hera, you wouldn't even realize you were already. But no, she just _had_ to give her that bottle."

My burning fists began to tremble.

"Oh, don't worry yourself so much. She'd never let Annabeth die in such a boring manner."

"_Boring!?_ She was _poisoned_!"

She rapped her fingers along the polished bench. "In a world where you can be ripped apart, burned alive, eaten, or blown up, suffice it to say that poison is a rather underwhelming manner to leave this world."

As much as I wanted to make her eat her own words with my fists as the main course, I couldn't deny the sad truth she spoke. Though still clenched, my fists hung at my sides, no longer shaking.

"Is that all?"

She quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? In such a hurry to get away? Is the premise of me wanting you for myself that intimidating."

A cold sweat ran down my neck. Despite her only having said that a few moments prior, I had almost forgotten about it the moment she mentioned Annabeth. I forced a swallow. "I already told you, I'm not leaving Annabeth."

"Aren't you?" She leaned forward, offering a none too subtle show of her cleavage. "Poor, poor Percy. Still in denial? After everything you've done…" Her tongue ran over her lips. "As much as Hera's overenthusiasm hindered my plans, I can quite comfortably tell you they aren't ruined completely."

"So offering up your daughters is supposed to…"

A bored yawn interrupted me. "Just my daughters? Oh, Percy. You wouldn't have this harem if not for me."

If any time passed at all, I couldn't be sure. I probably said something intelligent along the lines of "Whaaa…?"

"You honestly think your father would recommend this for you? It only took a few whispers in his ear to convince him. Of course, he was still lost in his little… split self issue, but as far as he is concerned, he came up with the idea himself."

The cold sweat from earlier seemed to run down my spine. Knowing Aphrodite, she wouldn't lie about something like this. She loved to gloat. However, I couldn't see what her endgame was. What could she possibly gain by telling me?

"So… what? Giving me a harem is supposed to impress me? Quite the opposite."

"_Impress_ you? No no no. As my bloodthirsty boy toy would say, I'm trying to break you down so I can build you back up."

My teeth ground together. "What's that supposed to mean? My skills aren't good enough for you? You needed to throw your daughters and several others under the bus in order to bring me up to your standards?"

"Mmm. I can see why Silena loved when you got rough with her. That pent up aggression…" She shivered in place, none too subtly sliding a part of her robe off her shoulder. "To answer your question, your skills aren't the issue. It's that damned loyalty to your girlfriend. The harem has been working wonders to break you away from her. In a span of days, you've taken on more lovers than Apollo and Hermes combined."

I stumbled back a few steps, silent as I took in her words. "So you've turned me into a manwhore. Congratulations. Do you want a medal or something?"

She batted her eyes while twirling a lock of her currently scarlet hair. "I want you as my personal lover. My new Adonis. All to myself." A small pout formed on her lips a second later. "And before you pull the Annabeth card again, tell me what's the point in refusing? An eternity of pleasure with me, does that honestly seem so bad?"

I don't know what kind of willpower came over me. Honestly, any man with a beating heart and half a brain would give anything to get in bed with her once; and here she was, offering to take me into bed multiple times.

"I already have an eternity of pleasure thanks to you. With people that I actually care about. Not to mention, your daughters are some of my most willing bed partners. I doubt I'll need any additional partners with them around."

"Is that so? Just think; my daughters could, and most certainly will, give you the greatest pleasure of any girl on that island. Still, their skills pale in comparison to mine. The things I could make you feel, the things I could do to you… _for _you." She dragged her teeth over her lower lip, a lustful gaze transfixed on my body.

Tempting as it was, I could still rely on my last brain cell to save the day. "You're not taking me as some prize. I'm not sleeping with you."

That was evidently not what she wanted to hear.

She clicked her tongue. "Do you realize how easy it could be? With a snap of my fingers, you'd grovel on the floor, awaiting for me to strip away my clothes so that you may please me in any manner I see fit."

"Do it then," I challenged.

She pouted. "So boring. So uninspired. What fun is there if I simply chose to control you? No, I want you to _choose _me. "

Once more switching her tone, her stony gaze morphed into one of mature seduction. Her head bowed as she gazed upon me through her fluttering lashes. Her robe slipped a few inches lower, exposing much of her upper arms, along with the upper half of her supple bosom.

_Think of something else! Think of something else! Think of something else!_

"What's your goal with all of this? You could take just about anyone in the world as your bed partner. Why me?"

Her bowed head tilted to the side. "Maybe because you're putting up a fight. Maybe I like the chase. It's so refreshing to have a man who won't try and offer me untold pleasures if I invite him into my bed." She stuck her finger into her mouth and faked a gag. "Please, as if I would just let anyone touch this body."

_Says the goddess with the most children running around._

"If you were just after the chase, you wouldn't have gone through all this effort. You could just as easily charm me into your bed. You want me on your side; that much is clear. What I want to know is why?"

She tossed her arm over her head and laid herself across the bench in an overly dramatic fashion. "Okay, I confess. With you, I can finally gain the influence I need to control the ruling of Olympus."

I rattled my head. "Run that by me one more time."

An exaggerated sigh left her lips. "To understand it, you would need to understand my current position. Hardly any of the women would give my wishes a second thought. So I must turn to the men. Hephaestus and Ares are all too easy to manipulate. Dionysus-"she curled her lower lip "-I need only toss him a few grapes and pull out a tit and he'll beg like a puppy. Apollo need only believe he ever has a chance of gracing my bed. Hermes gets his nightly shows of me pleasuring myself, though he believes I never notice. That leaves only Zeus and your father. Zeus gets enough women to ensure I can't ever lure him in. But Poseidon. Well, he remained steadfast until he gave me one weakness." She tilted her head with an apologetic smile. "You. With you, Poseidon's favorite son, wrapped around my finger, he would soon follow. And with him, I hold the power of half of Olympus in my palm."

"That's… a lot to take in." I shook my head, attempting to clear my thoughts. "Still, turning me into some obsessed boytoy seems extreme, don't you think?"

"Extreme? Oh, my dear little Percy, you have no idea. But to give you some more context, I'll let you in on a little secret."She beckoned me forward with a single finger.

Against my will, I marched forward and stood directly between her spread thighs. Leaning forward, she took my shoulder into her velvety grip.

"You know how the gods' image is a reflection of how their worshippers view them?"

I nodded.

"Well, you need only take a look at the statues of them and see how their… image may be affected."

A frown formed on my lips, eyebrows furrowing. "I don't look at the statues, so-"

"To put it simply, they're lacking something..." her hand slid down my torso, halting above my pelvis "... in this department."

My eyes bugged the moment her fingers pressed against my stirring erection. Against my better judgement, I couldn't swat her away, nor could I prevent the heat in my loins from growing.

"You see, it was believed that a small cock was a sign of wisdom. Well, I can tell you that most of them lack wisdom, so their lackluster pricks are rather infuriating."

My knees practically collapsed under my weight. Whether from the unnecessarily disturbing image I had of the gods (my father in particular) or from her hand massaging my thankfully clothed erection, I couldn't tell you. Fortunately, the image of my father's… Yeah… Not even going to continue that train of thought. Anyways, it managed to distract me just enough that I could pull away.

A small pout affixed itself to her lips as she sat up and pulled herself from the bench, leaving her robe behind. "So you're still playing hard to get?" She pressed a curled finger to her lips and giggled. "Whatever fantasy you have, name it. I can let you indulge in it, and more."

_Don't do it! Turn away! Think of something else! Think of Annabeth!_

_But… just look at her… She's… she's…_

I forced a swallow and turned my attention to the ground, attempting to shake the image of her naked body from my memory. "I said no." Not even I could be sure if that's what I said. My memory turned fuzzy.

_Did I tell her no? Why?_

"Rather persistent, are we? Perhaps a demonstration then."

With a snap of her fingers, a soft breeze rippled from her palm and fluttered across my hair. Three distinct pairs of hands embraced me from behind. One warm, one methodical, one nimble. I turned.

"Any man's fantasy if history is to be believed," Aphrodite cooed. "All three virgin goddesses pledging themselves to you at once." She strode forward, her movements as fluid and smooth as a stream.

I attempted to take in the sight of all three. Not the easiest task when they were all naked before me.

"For years, I've studied their bodies, observing them as they bathe, as they sleep. You wouldn't be able to tell them apart from the real things. Who would you pick first? The goddess who's treated your wounds and illnesses since you've arrived on Galínios? The mother of the woman you love, who forbade such love years ago? The maiden for whom you've engrained an unbreakable respect for man's potential?" She hugged me from behind, igniting a flare of warmth that pulsated across my body.

As Aphrodite spoke of every goddess, each stepped forward during their respective description, cupped my cheeks with their palms, and pressed a kiss to my lips. By the time Artemis' image pulled away, practically all my brain functions ceased to work. My knees buckled beneath me. If not for Aphrodite holding me from behind, I would have marred the beauty of the garden with my bloody nose on the stone path.

_This isn't real._

_Who cares?_

_This isn't real!_

_Who cares!?_

This isn't real!

I extricated myself from Aphrodite's grip and whirled around. A mistake in hindsight, given her flawless form, but I forced my gaze to focus on hers. I balled my fists in an effort to stall their trembling.

She tilted her head and curled her lip. "I suppose you're already desensitized to the idea of being surrounded by beautiful women. Pity." For a few seconds, she hummed, twirling her platinum blonde locks with on hand as her other not so subtly shifted to pressing up her supple bosom. "Well, perhaps the opposite approach should be taken."

With another snap of her fingers, the air to either side of her flickered with light before revealing… me. Two of me, standing completely naked and ready for a tossle in the sheets.

"What the…" I took a step back.

"Tell me this doesn't make you curious," she said. Both of her hands drifted to the clone closest to them. She stroked the shoulder of each.

I flinched.

"Was that—"

"Everything they feel, you feel. Imagine the possibilities."

To prove her point, her hands trailed down the torsos of each clone. Her velvety fingers stroked lower and lower, igniting facets of—

"Stop."

She stopped. A pout tugged at her lips. "Still not in your tastes? Pity." She waved her hand and the clones vanished in a cloud of pink mist.

As if trying to balance out the time I've spent looking at her front, she turned around and strode towards the marble bench, swaying her hips as she did.

"Over these past few days, you've developed quite the disdain for me. Why not put that frustration to… better use?"

Both hands reached out, directed towards the tops of the pillars on each side of the bench. Two celestial bronze chains materialized and lashed out from the apex of each column and wrapped around her wrists. Once retrained, she swayed her body from one side to the other, taking care to exaggerate the motions of her ample behind.

"I'm completely at your mercy. Do with me whatever you wish."

I won't deny that the offer was far more tempting than the previous, perhaps greater than her first offer as well. The urge to both take her from behind like a slut and punish her for her previous actions made the offer far too tantalizing for comfort. After all, I need only walk a few paces forward and I could have the goddess of love for myself.

_I— I'm sorry._

Khione… I don't know what it was that brought my thoughts to the snow goddess. The fact that she was a goddess? Maybe. Perhaps she served as a reminder that I had a goddess of my own already. Above everything else, I think it was the helplessness, the vulnerability. She was presented to me and free to my wrath.

Even further, my thoughts strayed to Palírroia. More than once, she offered herself to me, presented herself for punishment. She may not have been bound by chains, but she was just as much of a prisoner as Aphrodite looked at the moment. As I gazed upon her naked body, all I could see was the beautiful cerulean skin of Palírroia tarnished by the scars on her back.

"No," I said, turning away. "That's not—"

"You're right. You can tie anyone up whenever you want." The chains melted away as she turned to face me once more. "But I doubt anyone else can give you _this_ experience."

Before I could retort, her appearance shifted into a solid image, unshifting beyond it. When it finished, I found myself staring upon a peculiar sight. An olive tan clad her lean figure, which grew substantially in height. Thick locks of jet black hair swept over her shoulder, framing a statuesque countenance. Piercing sea green eyes locked with mine, making it near impossible to look away. It was like… Like…

"Have you ever heard of the term 'Go fuck yourself?'" She returned to the bench and spread her legs with a vexatious smile on her lips. "Well, now you can."

My stomach fell to the floor. I tore my eyes from her body and latched them on a nearby statue. If I weren't dreaming, I have no doubts about where my most recent meal would have ended up.

"You're sick in the head, you know that?" I leaned forward with my hands on my knees, attempting to steady my spinning vision. "How could you think…?"

Before I could bring myself to a complete thought, a gentle hand brushed over my shoulder blades. With a shudder, I whirled around to meet a less than gentle expression on Aphrodite's face. Despite the sneer straining to break apart her flawless features, I took solace in that she no longer resembled a female version of me.

"Perhaps I moved too quickly." She circled me, running her hands over any part of me she wished. "It seems she really did hinder my plans." Crossing her arms under her voluptuous chest, her sneer molded into a solemn frown, as if she were truly saddened by the recent developments.

"You didn't play any part in my attack against Khione?"

The question seemed to stir her from her thoughts. "No. That was all Hera. I put together the harem, but she… Well, she decided to make some changes, otherwise she would have already gone blabbing to Zeus. While I may have put together the harem, I've made no malevolent actions against you or your harem members. On that, I swear upon the River Styx."

Even in my dream, thunder boomed.

I stumbled.

_But if she's telling the truth, then…_

"One more question. Ever since we were sent to Galínios, the other girls have all seemed to develop strong sexual urges for me. Some kind of magic veil has been twisting their thoughts and feelings. Was that your doing?"

Her brow furrowed. "Do you realize how much energy and effort it would take to place a veil of aphrodisiacs over an entire island? No, I simply imbued your hormones with powerful pheromones that surpass that of my children. The longer someone stays around you, the more aroused they become. Simple.

"Of course, some are more easily influenced than others, and their predisposition towards you may influence their feelings as well, but they all come around in the end."

It took me a few seconds to pull my jaw off the ground. "You swore you didn't—"

"There's nothing malevolent about it. It's to help ease you into the situation, along with everyone else. Of course, you've hastened the process significantly for some, but I had no say in that."

I frowned. "Meaning?"

"I underestimated how many times you would repeat your partners. I only expected you to claim everyone once before the effects wore off. But you've given Piper four direct shots of cum, all of them inside of her. And then there's Artemis' former lieutenant—"

"Zoë."

"Irrelevant. But she's going to need another… injection before your time limit runs out. Otherwise, she'll be afflicted by the curse. But once you give it to her… Well… you know what'll happen." She shrugged. "You weren't supposed to give them more than one dose, except for maybe Annabeth, but it wouldn't have mattered for her."

Needing a place to sit down, I made my way to the bench. Upon arrival, the discarded robe became much more apparent. Against my better judgement, I picked it up and held it out to her.

Her eyebrows sagged, but she took the robe nonetheless. "Perhaps I did underestimate you." She wasted no time in redressing herself. "You already have one goddess to claim. Perhaps we can visit one another again under… better circumstances."

I shook my head, incredulous. "You won't stop, will you?"

A playful smile tugged at her lips. "Can you blame a girl for trying? You have more lustful eyes on you than you realize. If and when you decide to come around, I'll keep myself nice and ready."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Is that all?" Despite having a strong desire to grab ahold of her and give her everything she wanted and more, the moment she stopped focusing her attention on seducing me, she seemed almost… normal. Well, as normal as you can get for a drop dead gorgeous Olympian goddess.

"One last thing." She tightened the belt around her robe. "You seemed to have issues regarding your refractory period." Playful light danced in her eyes. She waved her hand, releasing a soft pink glow from it. "That shouldn't be an issue any longer… Well, as long as you're with one of my daughters."

Before I could reply, she giggled and waved her hand before me, dissolving away the dream and sending me off elsewhere in the land of Morpheus.

Or Apollo…

When my vision came once more into focus, I found myself in a room adorned with far more gold and red than I was comfortable with. The bright aureate slabs of shimmering metal emblazoned with emblems of the sun along the trim made up nearly all of the walls. Even without an evident light source available, the room seemed cast in a neverending glow of gilded luminescence. Of course, the haughty sun god in question stood tall in the corner, a playboy smile engraved on his face.

_CRASH!_

My head snapped in the direction of a nearby doorway. A frustrated grunt sounded out, but Apollo kept up his smile. With a bottle of golden liquor in hand, muttering to herself, out came Athena with a none too pleased expression.

Apollo didn't seem to notice. "You know, you can drop the act. If you wanted to spend some time with me, you only needed to ask."

Athena shot him a death glare. Her stormy eyes were dark and wild, as if she hadn't slept in the last week, and was using the alcohol as a method of staying awake. Her attention returned to the bottle, reading the labels and popping open the bottle to take a whiff of the contents.

"Ooh, good choice. But if you wanted to destroy the room, I'd recommend we give that a shot _after_ a few drinks." He wiggled his eyebrows and made an attempt at flexing.

Needless to say, she didn't care. Without a word, she flung the bottle towards his head, giving him a split second to duck.

_CRASH!_

Though the shattering glass did little to faze him, the golden liquid splashed over his back and shoulders, dousing his upper body with the Olympian grade liquor.

"Oh, man, that was vintage!" He held his arms out to either side as he mourned the loss of his alcohol. "Unless… Ooh, I didn't think you were into that. If you want to give me a nice tongue bath, I won—"

A heartbeat later, Athena rushed him with murderous intent clear in her eyes. No doubt, she'd been in his company for much longer than she wanted to. An odd dagger appeared in her hands and she pressed it to his throat.

No. Not a dagger. Rather, it was the broken neck of a very familiar wine bottle. Regardless of the object's original purpose, she pressed the bottle into his throat and took extra care to dig it into his skin, drawing golden ichor from his throat.

"You continue this senseless endeavor," she growled, "and I will make sure your entrails are indistinguishable from your sister's wolf feed."

"Okay," he squeaked. "Point made."

She pressed it deeper for a second longer, drawing a steadier rivulet of ichor, before pulling away the bottle neck.

"Look, you've already searched my stores. I don't have whatever you're looking for."

With weary eyes, she held up the broken bottle and inspected it, taking another whiff. "Something this strong can't be made from Dionysus these days. Silenus is far too indulgent to give away his supply. The Oenotropae are a possibility, but this exceeds their usual product." She continued rambling through different possibilities.

"Try Demeter," Apollo said, evidently interrupting her train of thought. "She has this really potent pomegranate wine that Persephone gives her during her return trips."

Athena nearly crushed the glass beneath her trembling grip. "This doesn't smell like pomegranate. It smells… flowery."

Apollo attempted to sidestep around her as she continued going through possibilities and made haste to inspect the recently destroyed wine cellar.

"Not the Goldschläger!"

My dream faded away once more, giving my eyes a respite from the ostentatious light of Apollo's home.

For a brief moment, I thought I had woken up. The night sky shone brilliantly, with the constellations shimmering through the blanket of darkness. A strong Pacific breeze rippled across my hair.

That's when I noticed the reindeer. They were beautiful creatures, noble to behold. And they were flying, drawing a chariot of pure silver.

I forced a swallow, realizing that maybe I was better off in Apollo's company. Unlike my present company, he didn't try to kill me.

"It's a beautiful night," Artemis said. "Though the lack of a certain constellation has been difficult to ignore."

"Lady Artemis!" I attempted to bow, but the cramped space of the chariot resulted in me nearly throwing myself from the open back.

She didn't seems to notice. Her flavescent silver eyes stared ahead, lost in the night sky. "I… It seems I've wronged you… Perseus."

I steadied myself against the railing. Though I may not be nearly as apprehensive about heights as Thalia, I couldn't ignore the lack of a safety rail in the open chariot. Regardless, Artemis kept the ride smooth, free of any turbulence.

"That's okay. I'm used to having people try to kill me."

If her smoldering glare was anything to go by, she didn't like my reply. "I didn't make this decision lightly. Should I wish, I could send you on your way and I could continue my previous actions."

I forced a swallow. However, despite her words, they seemed… less heartfelt than expected, as if she were rehearsing a line for the fiftieth time.

"You don't want that though, do you?"

Her attention returned to flying the chariot. At the speeds we were traveling, I estimated a few miles passed before she spoke again. "I still want my friends back," she whispered, her voice nearly lost in the wind. "I always will."

In an effort to stay quick on my toes, I blurted out my reply before thinking. "You can visit them whenever you want. They'd love to see you."

Her grip on the reigns tightened. "It's not the same," she growled. "And how can I… how can I meet their eyes after… after you…" A silver tear dripped down her cheek.

I wasn't sure how to respond. After all, how _could _she react?

She sniffled. "My best friend has lost her chastity. Given it to you willingly." She slumped forward, bracing her forearms on the chariot's edge.

"Zoë and I haven't… well…"

"No. But I know what you _have_ done together. I know how her feelings are at war with each other." She grit her teeth as argent tears free flowed from her eyes like mercury.

I took a step forward to rub her shoulder, but pulled back at the last second. Unlike the other girls in the harem, she could hurt me if she wanted. Even kill me. Worse yet, she could turn me into a pigeon and shoot me out of the sky.

"They're taking their oaths seriously. But I can't let them suffer because we waited too long."

She glanced in my direction before returning her focus on the sky ahead. "I know. But they're also enjoying the pleasures you're giving to them. To see Zoë so full of joy after the life she's lived… It was so heartwarming, but… but the cause of it…" She shook the thought from her head. "I don't know how. I don't know when, but one day soon, I'll find a way to make amends, for her sake and for mine."

"You don't have to do anything! Seriously. Just… no more monster attacks."

Her eyes met mine once more, but this time she held my gaze. "You truly are too damned selfless these days. Didn't you tell her it was okay to be selfish?"

My cheeks heated up. _So she really did see everything that happened._

"In moderation. But you've given up enough already. Just pay them a visit every now and then. I think that'll work wonders for them."

"Perhaps," she said. "I'll consider it."

She remained silent for a while longer. Behind us, the telltale signs of Apollo's arrival gave way. A minute sigh left Artemis' lips. "I suppose I have you to thank for the recent influx of hunts. The Romans have given me more offerings in the past day than they normally do in a month."

I shrugged sheepishly. "You seemed like you needed a distraction."

A slight smile tugged at her lips. "On that, we agree." She craned her neck behind her to see the rosy beginning of the dawn. "I suppose this is where I leave you. I know not when I'll see you again, but hopefully they'll be under… better circumstances."

Just like Aphrodite before her, she waved her arm and dissolved my dream's connection to her, sending me into the final moments of my slumbering self.

* * *

**A/N - No, I'm not dead. No, Corona hasn't claimed me (though the quarantine hasn't been easy, as I imagine is the case for many of you). However, this does bring me to something... important.**

**We all knew this day was eventually going to come. As it stands, within the next 24 hours or so, I'll be shipping off to basic training. I needed to get this one last chapter out to you all before that happened. I couldn't live with myself otherwise. You deserve that much.**

**On a similar vein, we have officially passed the one year anniversary since this story's beginning. I've come across so many great readers since that time. From those who read from across the world to my close circle of Discord members to even the writers of an erotic game, so many of you have left your mark on me, and I humbly thank you. In celebration for this event, and as a type of farewell gift, I offered a poll to my Discord members. Of those who voted, an overwhelming majority agreed on the same celebratory option. If you wish to get a look at the face behind the story, head over to my Discord server. I have officially carried out a face reveal, and will leave the image there indefinitely.**

**There are no questions this time around. I won't be available to read your responses unfortunately. Still, I do ask that you review. When I do come back, I'd love to see what your thoughts were for this chapter, and for the story as a whole. I can't promise when the next update will be. At this point, the best I can promise is that I'll write when the time is available. Still, I would expect to wait a couple of months before the next one comes out.**

**Each and every one of you have my thanks. Whether you're a guest, follower, or active reviewer, you all have contributed to making this story what it is today.**

**As always, leave your thoughts. This is Ronin signing off.**


	48. Back from BMT

_So. He's back at last. How about that? I know a lot of people have been curious as to his status, and to prevent him from having to spend too much of his writing time on a return note rather than the next chapter, I, Ignis, have decided to write something for him. _

_Ronin, the man, the myth, the legend, made it through most of BMT(Basic Military Training) before, prior to "Beast Week," it was discovered that he is suffering from *degenerative myositis* in his *flexor digitorum brevis*(unless my medical knowledge is off). Basically, one of the muscles in the bottom of his feet have turned into swiss cheese. Due to that, he spent an extended amount of time in med hold, and just recently got back. _

_This does, however, disqualify him from being in the Air Force, which really, really sucks. So please, do not harass him for the long absence, he's just had a career ruined. Even I'm (trying) to cut back on the harassment. So if you want to show your support, or ask further questions, join us in the discord. The join code is in Ronin's Bio. It's a fun place, you can chat, shit-post, cause me pain, play Valorant with me, or watch as I do my damndest to make Ronin change the Chapter 47 cumshot volume back to 5 oz._

_The new chapter is already in the works, but Ronin is still a bit frazzled. It'll be out soon, but for now, I have pushed him to publish this update. I think I speak for him when I say thank you for all the support on this story. We're back at it, and plan to be working together for years to come._

_-Ignis_

Yes. As Ignis has so eloquently put it, I'm back. Can't necessarily say I'm better than ever, but I'm at least free of the clutches of BMT. I know it took quite a bit longer to get out than initially planned, but… well, I'm afraid the Air Force is rather keen on holding onto people for as long as possible.

As Ignis stated, the best way to keep in touch is my Discord server. If you want to ask me about my experiences or just get an update on the story, that is the best place to go.

I'm back to the grind in writing, along with trying to get my whole life together, so I can't promise an exact update time, but I'd keep it within the realm of two weeks. That seems a generous amount to give myself so I don't immediately come back in and start burning out.

It's good to be back, guys. But as always, this is Ronin signing off.


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